Dare You
by madicon
Summary: Jily fanfic::: The year is 1977. Lily, and all her friends, are in their final year of Hogwarts. She saw her seventh year as being the best yet but she was wrong. Her world got turned upside down by the power of love and loss in this one part of her life story.
1. Diagon

**_AN: Hullo! I would like to invite you into a world everyone knows but with my spin on it. I'm only really doing this to fulfil a need to get JamesxLily together and, my way, is only just one way so its either right or wrong to many people. Trust me I've tried to get all my facts straight but I apologise to any serious Potterheads if I get anything seriously wrong. This is just for fun and I hope you like it :)_**

 ** _Normally I'm overly descriptive but for chapter I've kept to just speech as, I think, for a first chapter, to try and understand characters, speech is better between characters._**

 ** _Disclaimer: J K Rowling owns everything, including your soul and mine._**

 ** _Summary: The year is 1977. Lily, and all her friends, are in their final year of Hogwarts. She saw her seventh year as being the best yet but she was wrong. Her world got turned upside down by the power of love and loss in this one part of her life story._**

 _Chapter 1 - " & it's you & me in the summertime…" - The Sundays_

 _(Dear…)_

 _2nd August 1977_

 _Dear Sirius Black,_

 _Thank you for sending the previous letter at a ridiculous time in the morning so could you, please, refrain from sending any further enquiries in the dark of night? My response would have been quicker if your owl hadn't had a concussion for 2 days, after it hit my window, at the ungodly hour previously expressed._

 _I much appreciate the invite to play quidditch with our fellow friends however I have no interest in the sport. 1) I have never been able to ride a broom - that one lesson in first year did not give muggle-born witches enough time to proper perfect the craft. 2) I'm sure you'd suggest referee but i do not know the proper rules. 3) Potter would be there. 4) I do not know how to travel to your current whereabouts. 5)….. I'm sure I will think of another reason to be a burden to your little game so please enjoy without me._

 _I would entertain the notion that you actually cared about what you wrote in your letter to me but I will not bore you with such tales of my woeful muggle life._

 _Always and forever,_

 _Miss Lily Evans._

 _PS. Get another owl, I'm sure you have other ones_

3rd August 1977

To my dearest Lily Evans,

Why are you writing like an old maid? Who writes like they live in the 18th Century anymore? Get your head out of those classic muggle novels you love, Evans, and come and play quidditch!

Before I even start writing the rest I'm going to try write this like you are, to see if its any fun.

I, and the precious owl, are offended that you should want me to part from such a beautiful creature. I do not possess any other owl in my vicinity so the magnificent Atget will have to suffice your high standards of neglect. Perhaps the lustrous James Potter will allow me to bestow upon you a more worthy owl, for he and I are now living together. One would suggest that one should just leave a window open big enough to fit a tawny owl through.

If you don't mind, I would like to address your 5 point strategy of mediocre excuses for not wanting to play quidditch with your amazing confidants. 1) I'm sure Mr James will teach you to ride a broom, among other things, as he is one excellent player of the sport. 2) No one cares about rules amongst a friendly match. 3) I thought you and James were friends? 4) I can gallantly assist you to the Potter residence. 5) No excuse is worse than just not making one up, Evans. And number 6) you don't have to play quidditch, just seeing your beautiful self would be enough for all us to just.

I was very sincere in the first letter on how you were doing without seeing my charming self?

Wishing you weren't writing like a old maid,

Sirius

PS. I don't get how you write like that its so hard not to write bullshit on you in delicate words

PPS. This is killing James that you have wrote back to me. Keep it up

 _5th August 1977_

 _Sirius,_

 _Ha, I hadn't realised I was writing on that - one does read too many books during the summer - so I will go back to the usual note written format of writing a letter to you._

 _Ergh, fine I will come to your stupid quidditch day. Meet me in Diagon Alley in 2 days at Florean's, 12pm._

 _Lily_

 _(I dare you)_

So thats how she ended up at Diagon Alley on the 7th August, looking like a complete fool for expecting Black to show up on time. Lily was the type of person to always be on time, which made Sirius' lack of punctuation annoy her. She would plan out her day to be at a place at least fifteen minutes beforehand, because, if not, it felt like the world would implode with her tardiness. Thankfully today was a beautiful day, the sun was out with a slight cool breeze in the air, that made a person feel humble about life and she would be able to forgive a friends lateness. Maybe he too was taking in the pleasant atmosphere of the day.

"Find a lily, pick it up and all day you'll have good luck." spoke the obnoxious man that just plonked himself down on the adjacent seat, killing the pleasant mood.

"I should have known." She muttered under her breath as she looked up from her book. "Potter, was I even writing to Sirius?"

James smiled brightly as he swiped a spoon out of the ice cream bowl, "Sirius got side tracked this morning and asked me to get you. What flavours you got in here?"

"Butterbear and cinnamon roll. But thats…."

"Thats a weird combination, Evans." James interrupted, as he took a scoop of the two flavours. He looked at them with a weird expression of excitement and caution. Lily couldn't help but laugh at his hesitance. James Potter never hesitated, he was always a do-things-first-get-the-consequences-later.

"It's not going to kill you, James." Lily laughed, as she took the other spoon and enjoyed her flavour combination. "I dare you."

The first time she had mutter those three words to him had been in first year, when James had been cocky about his broom riding skills. He proclaimed that he could ride with no hands and blindfolded. It wasn't her fault he broke both arms in the process. All the other dares that followed have always caused some sort of damage. With a determined look in his eyes, as per usual with any dare, James shoved the spoon in his mouth. After a few seconds, he smiled and took another spoonful. "Not bad, Evans."

"Stop taking it all then."

"I thought sharing was caring."

"Git." Lily muttered, putting the bowl in the middle of the table. "Is anyone else coming to your little sports day?"

"The usual." That was all he needed to say for Lily know it was just everyone from Gryffindor in their year. Well, nearly everyone. There were two girls in the Gryffindor 7th year that were more…suited to each other as being friends and the other male, Kinglsey Shacklebolt, can only take the Marauder's in small portions, so he didn't always join them on outings. She couldn't blame him.

James continued, "But everyone's coming here now."

"So I'm dressed in sports gear for no reason then?"

James smiled, "Pretty much. When you said to met Sirius for ice cream, everyone preferred that idea and it would have been too late to send an owl in time for you to know its just an ice cream date."

"This isn't a date, Potter."

"I thought dates were a date when they aren't meant to be one." James grinned wider. "Isn't that some girl rubbish you hook guys into? Swear I've heard that bullshit once or twice."

"I'm not like most girls. I don't try to _hook_ guys in."

"I'll keep that one in mind for later."

"So if the others are coming, aren't they a little late?"

"Seeing at this is a date-"

"This isn't a date."

"-they should be arriving in like fifteen minutes." James winked as he looked up from his watch. "All the more time for us to be better acquainted."

Lily glared at him, "I think we are _acquainted_ enough."

James knew what she meant. "About that-"

"I'm still keeping things secret, Remus is my friend too."

"And about the other-"

"Potter, I swear to Merlin, everything is under lock and key in my head. Stop your worrying." Lily sighed, shaking her head. "I'm me before I am anyone else and I keep secrets, even if some are illegal and an invasion of privacy."

They feel silent for a few seconds, before James piped up, "What's you favourite colour?"

"Seriously?" Lily asked quizzically.

"People who are acquainted _enough_ would know each others favourite colours."

She sat there a little perplexed at the answer. She hated the fact he had used her words against her but she didn't see the need for the question. There wasn't a need for friends to know everything about one another, especially something so insignificant as preference on a colour. "Erm…I don't think I have one."

"Come on, Evans, everyone has a favourite of something."

"If I have to think about it, then it obviously isn't my favourite. My favourite ice cream flavour is butterbear. My favourite number is 7. My favourite class is Charms. These things I don't have to think about because I know so; with a colour I'm unsure."

"You only like 7 because it's a lucky number."

"No, I just feel like, as of today, Year 7 is going to be a good year." She smiled, brushing a piece of hair behind her ear. Maybe it was still the weather effecting her outlook on life but it just felt … delightful. "What's your favourite colour then?"

"Red." He said without any hesitation.

"And _you_ only like red because its your quidditch robes."

"If you say so," James said with a knowing smirk, "Who's your favourite Marauder?"

She didn't even hesitate, "Remus."

"I'm offended, Evans."

"He's not the fool of the group."

"I thought I was the dashingly handsome one of the Mauraders."

"Nope, definitely the fool. I bet you've already done something foolish this summer."

James lent forward with a knowingly look on his face, his hazel eyes sparkling with mischievousness. "You know how Sirius has his new motorbike, that he keeps telling everyone about. Well, we took it for a spin. The muggle police weren't too happy and cornered us into an alleyway… It's a good thing we just flew away because I'd have to be a jail bird, and I'm not being someones bitch."

"You just flew…you…" Lily just sat there gaping at the idiot in front of her. "There had to be a reason for them to corner you."

"It was a bit of a blur so-"

"How fast were you going?"

"I don't know, how fast does a broom travel?"

"Like 100 miles per hour!"

"I thought you didn't like quidditch."

"Just because I'm nonchalant about the sport doesn't mean I haven't brushed up my knowledge on the game." Lily exclaimed, feeling a little blush rise into her face. "Thats beside the point, James. You were caught speeding by the police and then you just magic the motorbike to fly over their heads. You are unbelievable."

"A life without rules, isn't a life…"

"This is great coming from the Head Boy." She interrupted him with a stern look on her face. Lily had only just found out this morning. A couple of days ago the Hogwarts letters were sent out, with the list of supplies for the year ahead and in her's was the 'Head Girl' badge. To Lily, this was an honour she was going to withhold. After she found out it was James as Head Boy, she didn't feel like that would be the case for him. "When were you going to tell me about that, Potter?"

A look of horror and shock appeared on his face as he began to splutter odd sounds. It took him awhile to properly respond to her. "Who told you?"

"Peter."

"That guy cannot keep a secret."

"What were you gonna do? Rock up into the Prefects carriage and drop the wand about you being Head Boy?!"

"I was thinking of using fireworks and smoke. Maybe interpretive dance."

"James you should have told me."

"You never asked."

"Maybe write me a letter then."

"Would you even respond?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because thats what friends do."

"Lily, I-"

James didn't get chance the finish because someone had wrapped their arms around her neck and gave a quick kiss on the cheek. The only person to have the audacity to do such a thing, whispered in her ear with a a hint of laughter, "Nice pegs, Evans. What's the special occasion?"

"Oh, it's all just for you, Black." She cooed falsely, nudging his arms away forcefully. He laughed falling into the seat next to her, still with his arm rest on the back of her chair. The thing with Sirius was he knew what he looked like. He knew he could make a girl swoon by just looking at her with those stormy grey eyes. He made girls think they could change him, when he perfectly knew there was nothing to change. Basically, a git. Somehow, Lily found Sirius' acknowledgement of who he truly was refreshing and tolerable. "I'm a bit disappointed you sent the troll."

Sirius looked at his best friend, "Prongs isn't too bad from a far."

"So far you can't see him anymore is about right," Remus joined in as he sat down next to James with a cheeky smile. "Sorry for the lateness, Lily. It took forever to get-"

"Lily!" She heard one of her friends cry out from behind her. Trying not to roll her eyes, she stood up to face her friend and was tackled at the waist by a fierce hug. Mary MacDonald smiled up at her with those baby blues eyes. With those man catcher eyes, her petite stature and perfectly blonde hair she was a boy's dream. "Oh Lily, I've got so much to tell you. You know I went on holiday, right? You never guess who I saw-"

"Shove off, Mary, no one cares." Marlene McKinnon interrupted, giving Lily an acknowledging nod. She had little tolerance for hugs or any type of affection or nonsense gossip; its a surprise she manages to keep friendly with her polar opposite of Mary. McKinnon sat next to Potter and started to converse in quidditch matters, for she too was on the quidditch team.

"Some people are interested." Mary said deflated, letting her grip relax enough for the fourth Gryffindor girl to pull her away from Lily.

"You can tell all us girls later." Emmeline Vance murmured, dragging Mary away to the nearest available seats next to Peter. Emmeline was the straight laced one, Lily was a close second, but Emmeline followed everything by the books. Some would even say the pureblood had OCD as her brunette hair was cut exactly to the right length; her glasses had to be placed squarely on her dainty nose; her quills couldn't be shorter or longer than 12cm and her clothing had to pressed perfectly.

"Now that everyone is seated, we can talk about this incredible adventure James and I got into." Sirius smiled, pushing Lily into her assigned seat. "You know about the motorbike I bought…."

 _(But you gotta have friends…)_

"Did you hallucinate?"

"Did it look like I was hallucinating?!"

"No, you just had your normal dumb look." Sirius smirked, as he stared at James over the brooms in Quality Quidditch Supplies shop. After his rendition of the motorbike flying tale, the group continued to share their summertime stories. None were as good as Sirius'. Ice cream was shared between them before they all left to get their supplies for their final year together. They got their new books, new robes, new ingredients for potions and new quills but when it got to the quidditch shop, all the girls but McKinnon were interested in going in. To go by the girl code, she stuck with her fellow girls and they are now waiting for them at the Leaky Cauldron. James had pretty much spilled out the conversation he had had with Lily, as soon as the shop door had swung shut. "I didn't know she just admitted you guys were friends. If I had, I would have stayed away."

"She actually said that you two were friends?" Remus asked again for the third time.

"Yes!"

"Huh…I never thought she would have admitted it out loud, especially to you."

"Since when did she no longer hate me?"

"She couldn't have really hated you, Prongs. She runs in the same friendship circle as you." Peter interjected, trying to make an effort in the conversation. "She just strongly disliked you."

"Gee, thanks."

Sirius pulled his best friend away, towards the broom maintenance kits, to have a more private discussion. "There is only one reason why Lily no longer hates you, Prongs. Remus noticed it first because, you know, they are-"

"She did tell me Remus was her favourite Marauder." James interrupted.

"I thought I was her favourite."

"You think your everyones favourite."

He pulled a knowing grin before continuing, "Anyway, anyway…who was the one person that Lily hated us picking on? And who is the one person she is no longer on good speaking terms with?"

"Snape?" James whispered, with a little bit of venom.

"Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner. Evans to fifth year was with Snape and loathed you. Evans from sixth to now has had no Snape so doesn't hate you anymore."

"It can't be that…obvious, can it?"

"Its the only valid reason we've been able to come up with, because lets face it, your still the same git."

"It…I…" James started to blabber with some remark but couldn't find the right words. "But you, Remus and Peter would join in and she's never hated you."

"Ha, Remus never joined in - he'd just be at the back disapproving us," Sirius scoffed. "Mate, I'm not gonna delve into the working mind of a girl, especially Lily Evans'. But don't the muggles say something like there's a fine line between love and hate."

With a very serious face and tone, he found the words he was looking for. "Does that mean I get a better christmas present this year?"

It took a moment for Sirius to grasp James' ridiculous reaction. He couldn't help but laugh at his idiotic friend, which caused a scene in the shop bringing Remus and Peter to come over with curious smiles on their faces. "Prongs - hahaha - that it the most, idiotic thing to ever… Mooney, Mooney, he finds out Lily thinks him as a friend - ha, oh merlin my sides - and his response is whether he'll get a good christmas present. Haha, what a fucking moron."

Remus couldn't help but chuckle. "Why stop there? Think of all the possible birthday presents too."

"Maybe she'll get you the those expensive quidditch gloves you've been wanting." Peter smiled.

"She could give you something else, if you play your cards right?" Sirius smirked, raising a telling eyebrow.

"You've acted relatively calm about this new discovery, Prongs." Mooney commented, ignoring Sirius' perverted mind. "Are you okay?"

James hadn't fully processed what any of this could mean, until Remus made a point. Friends meant that they could move past what had been said before; friends meant that they could be who they were today but friends meant that they could become more than friends, something James had wanted for a very long time. Strange noises erupted out of his mouth as he stopped himself from losing control over the new realisation. James began to rock back and forth on the ball of his heels with a hand to his face. "I'm fine. Are you fine? I…I…I don't think I'm interested in her that way anymore."

Potter didn't wait for a sarcastic remark of one his friends, and just left the shop murmuring something about going to the Leaky Cauldron. The other three just smiled at each other knowing that maybe, just maybe, their ideas were to come true this year as well.

 _(…different people now)_

The Leaky Cauldron was extremely busy considering what the news was advising people to do nowadays. The Daily Prophet was suggesting that everyone should cower away behind closed doors, but it was clear that the magical community were not worried about the Death Eaters, not today at least.

"Lily, are you even listening?"

"Yes, yes of course." She lied as she woke herself up from her dazed daydreamy state. "You were mentioning something about…something."

"I was talking about my holiday." Mary glared, knowing that her friend wasn't paying attention. "You know how I had that little crush on that Ravenclaw-"

"Are we not mentioning his name now?" Marlene interjected, smirking.

"He's an arsehole that led me on-"

"He only led you on in your head."

"That is still a crime to my poor heart."

"Ergh, someone get the fucking violin out for sob story MacDonald."

Emmeline and Lily couldn't help but stifle a giggle as Mary turned her glare towards a grinning Marlene. "Shut your mouth, Price. If you let me finish-"

"Your stories always take too long."

"-OKAY! Okay. Basically I ended up sleeping his best friend instead."

"I didn't think there were any guys left that you hadn't sunk your teeth into." Marlene snickered.

Lily started to go back to her daydream land as Marlene continued to verbally jab at Mary, who kept responding. Emmeline noticed, "Lil, you alright?"

At the present time, her friends were helping her forget her worries of Voldemort. Lily didn't want to be thinking of him, she wanted to live her life as if he doesn't exist, but no matter what he would always be in the back of her mind. Lily tried to keep her normal composure around her friends and family because she didn't want them to know how incredibly scared she was. She wasn't afraid of a man who hides behind a name and what he could do to her life - no, she was scared of what he and his followers would do if they found her family. She wanted to tell her friends, especially the more sympathetic Emmeline, but she didn't want them to worry about her. She didn't want them to see her as weak.

"Lil, you alright?" Vance asked, again.

"Yeh, yeh, I'm good. Sorry just thinking of…" Lily began to trail off.

"I saw Snape."

Now, that woke Lily up. "What?… When? Where?"

"On holiday. It was odd to see him on a beach in swimming trunks and, ew, that image is going to be in my head forever. In my nightmares." Vance shivered with disgust. "He somehow ended up paler. Anyway, he wanted me to pass on a message to you."

"Em, are you serious?! You spoke to him?"

"He kinda just came over to talk to me about you."

"And you told him nothing, right?… Right?"

"Yes, I told him if he had anything to say, he'd have to…" She began but a shadow appeared behind them, a shadow that made the other two Gryffindor girls stop bickering. "Hello, Snape."

Lily turned around to see her old best friend standing behind her. He did look paler. He didn't look well at all. It might be the fact he had let his raven black hair grow longer or his old robes drowned his figure but he did look thinner. Sickeningly thin. "Snape." She said, curtly.

"May I speak with you, Lily?"

"No, Snape. We have nothing left to say to one another."

"Lily, I-"

"No, Snape." She said, again, but with more annoyance. She stood up and dragged him away from the table. "I told you last year we cannot talk to one another, we cannot be friends."

"Can't you just give me a chance to-"

"I gave you a chance already. I've given you dozen's of chances, Severus, and you haven't changed. You're still-"

"Haven't changed? What do you want me to do? I've said I'm sorry"

"Sorry doesn't change anything." Lily huffed, dejected. "You called me a word that is unforgivable."

"I didn't mean to, I said it in anger."

"It doesn't matter that it was in anger, you said it anyway. We've had this discussion before, Snape. I'm not going around in circles again. Goodbye." Lily began to walk away but Snape caught her arm. "No, this is over. I can't forgive you because I can't forget."

"You seem to be able to forgive and forget Potter." He spat as he looked at her table. The Marauders had sauntered over and were looking over at them in shushed whispers. James seemed to start walking over but Remus pulled him back. "Are we not friends because…"

"Us being friends has nothing to do with Potter. We are not friends because you treat me like shit whenever your Slytherin buddies are around; we are not friends because friends do not call their friends mudbloods _ever_ and we are not friends because we are different people now."

"So your going to be a git too?"

"Sev, I would never." Lily sighed, "I would never ignore you but I'm not going out of my way to speak to you either. I'm sorry, I just can't do this anymore. Goodbye."

Snape tried to pull her back but she just waved it off. Throughout sixth year he'd been trying, she couldn't knock him for that, but he had changed, in her head and heart, too much. Someone who has that word in their system is a person not worth knowing.

"What did Snivellus want?" Black asked, pushing her into the seat next to him.

Lily frowned, "Nothing."

The rest of the day proceeded without any trouble and carried on like earlier that afternoon, when they were eating ice cream at Florean's. Sure, Lily joined in with the merriment and laughter yet she couldn't shift her feelings from encounter with Snape. It may have seemed easier for her to just push him away but it wasn't. Every time she talks to him, like they previously used to, she feels guilty because it makes them both, especially Severus, think things can go back to the way they were. Lily, too, wished that could happen and, whenever she realised it couldn't, it crushed her heart. Snape was her first magical friend, he knew everything about her and she never thought he would have said anything malicious to her. He'd have never called her a freak. Well…that was what she thought and she was wrong.

Witches and wizards began to leave the Leaky Cauldron as soon as the sun began to set, which gave the group a cue to start dismantling too.

"Cheer up, Evans." Sirius whispered, nudging her to get up. "Or else Prong's gonna try to … I don't know, he's going to do something stupid to make you feel better and we all know that it will do the opposite."

Lily couldn't help but smile at Sirius' accurate description. "Your friend never learns."

"Be nice," he said as James made his way over.

"The guys and I were talking earlier-" James began, slowly as if checking to make sure his words didn't offend.

"Were we?" Sirius interjected with a smirk as he put his arm over Lily's shoulder.

"-about how we shouldn't let you girls go back on your own-"

"We are very chivalrous like that."

"-and seeing as your a girl-"

"Would you like me to escort you to your house, Miss Evans?" Sirius asked quickly, winking at a dumbstruck James.

Lily laughed, "I can take care of myself, thank you very much. And the only Marauder who I'd want to take me back would be Remus."

"Ergh, what is up with you and Remus?" Sirius scoffed as he turned to face her. "Are you cheating on me with him?"

"No, I don't trust you two to know where I live."

"Why?" They both said in unison.

"Oh, I don't know. You might egg my house or something."

"Egg a house? What does that means?" James asked quizzically.

"It's a prank."

"Egging a house is a prank?" Sirius questioned this time.

"I guess it's just a muggle prank."

James remarked, "Why don't we learn about that in Muggle Studies?!"

"More importantly why hasn't Wormtail told us about muggle pranks?" Sirius murmured, eyeing Peter. "Excuse us Lily, we've got to talk to Pettigrew."

Seeing that as her final cue to leave, she began to edge away from the group towards the door, back into Diagon Alley. "Don't do a McKinnon and just leave without saying goodbye." Mary said, linking her arm with Lily's right one. She didn't pull her back into the pub to say bye to the guys but onwards into the alley.

"Hey, I say goodbye to people I care about." Marlene started, flipping Mary her middle finger.

"So, no one then." Emmeline snickered, linking arms with Lily's left one. "I can't believe the guys were trying to make us into useless witches. We don't need them to help or fight for us."

"They were just being nice." Mary spoke.

It didn't matter if they were being courteous, Emmeline wasn't having any of it. She began to start a speech on feminism. "We've proven ourselves that we can take care of ourselves. Well, not all of us having physically shown it, because some of us don't jinx random people who give us side eyes or whenever we get in a heated argument,-"

"I feel like she's jabbing at us for being too aggressive, Evans." Marlene whispered, just in earshot of Lily.

"-but we are all smart."

"That was a lovely speech, Vance, but before you continue, lets get out of here."

 _(Quick Reply)_

The girls Apparated together to say their farewells. None of them were overly confident in travelling a great distance, especially Lily who was the furthest away from London, so breaking down the distance made splinching less likely for her in particular. Mary left first, followed by Marlene and then Emmeline. Lily didn't mind being left on her own. It gave her time to mellow on the past couple of hours and it made her even more sure that her 7th year was going to be the best yet.

She hoisted her recent purchases onto her shoulder as she rounded the corner to her street. Her street in the large town of Cokeworth, was similar to many Midland towns in which it had been left to ruin. Once a prosperous place, was now left to crumble under the harsh British weather. The constant ominous black cloud no longer engulfed it but it's presence was still noticeable on the darkened terrace houses. True, she was biased to the place and her head is often trying to find the romantic side to anything, but she didn't see her town in distress. To her, she saw a forgotten land thats full of history and pleasant people, who'd give the skin off their back for anyone. To her, she saw a place to be proud of.

"Hello?" She shouted, as she unlocked the front door.

"Lily," Mrs Evans cooed, walking out of the living room to give her youngest daughter a hug. "How was your day?" Lily would have replied to her but she knew her mother. Mrs Evans was a woman who could talk anybody's ear off, so that question about the day was just a starter for her to continue to gabber on. "I saw Mrs Number Six today - you know her son - and she couldn't stop talking about how her…"

"I thought you'd left for good, Freak." Petunia interrupted, as she began to walk down the stairs.

Lily was about to retort back but her mother pushed her into the kitchen and her sister into the living room. Mrs Evans had been, at least, five minutes talking to Tuney before she showed up in the kitchen in a huff. "She apologises, Lily."

"Mom, when are you going to stop that? No she doesn't feel sorry. She knows what she's doing and thats fine. Its been going on for a long time, I'm over it."

"Those who say that are never _fine with it."_ Mrs Evans spoke, rummaging in the fridge for some food. "What do you want to eat?"

"I'm not hungry, I had food out." Lily huffed, sitting down at the breakfast table. "Mom, you need to stop trying to mend fences. She won't budge, especially now that she's going to marry Dursley. I won't fit into their perfectly muggle family."

"Your still part of the Evans family-"

"We don't pick our families, Mom."

"-and families can fix things."

"Not when your sister is a narrow-minded, egotistical, primpy…"

"Okay, that's enough." Mrs Evans snapped, as she flicked the kettle on. After mumbling under her breath about bickering daughters, she calmed down to speak in a normal, if not hushed, voice. "We are going to be losing you and your sister this year so can we -"

"Lose me?"

"Don't pretend that once you graduate your school, you won't be completely taken away from us."

Lily never knew this was how her Mother felt. It surprised her that her quick wit didn't have anything. She looked at her mom and could see her disheartened attitude, which upset both of them more. Mrs Evans was a women who carried the world on her shoulders and never let anyone see that she did, very much like Lily herself. "Mom, I'm gonna have to come back." She said, walking over to her mom to give her another embrace. "I'll have to to get all my stuff."

"Hey," Mrs Evans laughed, squeezing her to a strangulation level. "Your father and I don't know much on your magical world so you'll have to excuse our naivety."

She was about to tell her mother what could happen after she graduates but I bang on the window, startle them. Lily automatically pulled out her wand and, at the same time, pushed her mother behind her. There wasn't a figure in the window but there was a mark of a huge bird. "Oh Merlin," Lily said under her breath, making her way over towards the back door. On the patio flooring, a startled tawny owl was shaking himself awake from the crash. She walked over to him and it gently placed his talons onto her arm so he could be carried into the house.

"Is that the same owl as before?"

"Yes." Lily scowled. "Excuse me, Mom, I'm gonna have to reply to this idiotic letter before another owl hits a window, or worse."

"What's worse?" Mrs Evans asked nervously worried.

Lily didn't wait to reply because, if her reply wasn't straight away, she knew one to four boys could appear in her living room. They didn't know where she lived but she knew they would find a way, they always found a way.

Her room was at the back of the house. A double bed, a wardrobe, a chester draws and a desk were cramped into the space which made the space seem tiny. She had all she needed so size didn't matter to her. The owl, Atget, flew over to the empty owl cage - her Snowy owl, Inch, was currently out - and Lily went over to her desk to read the letter.

 _To Evans,_

 _You have a good friend in Marlene. James was over there trying to badger her into Apparating him to your house but she didn't budge, and if he knew where the others lived he'd be over their right now. Don't worry, Prongs is back at his house calling you foul, foul things behind your back. It's no wonder he's your least favourite._

 _We get it, you are an amazing witch. You don't need bodyguards. We just wanted to make sure you got home okay. That you got back safe and in once piece! YOU CAN"T JUST LEAVE WITHOUT SAYING YOU ARE LEAVING!_

 _Shit move, Evans. Shit move._

 _From your favourite,_

 _Black_

 _PS. You owe Potter a letter with an apology on_

Had Sirius sent a similar letter to Mary and Emmeline? If not, why just her? And why did she specifically apologise the Potter? Lily pondered the letter for some time wondering what to write to Potter. Something short and straight to the point would be best she decided and started to scribble onto a small piece of paper. Quickly, she went over to Atget but the owl didn't want to budge. Thankfully her owl had appeared at the window and proudly puffed out his chest to say _I'll take that_. Cockily he out stretched his leg and flew off in a majestic fashion.

After Inch couldn't be seen in the midnight sky, she lay down in bed contemplating the letter. Lily hoped Potter would find it an acceptable apology, even if it was only a few lines:

 _7th August 1977_

 _Potter,_

 _I've just received Black's letter._

 _I'm sorry!_

 _Evans._

 _PS. My owl doesn't like you very much so he might bite._


	2. Train

**_AN: ¡Hola, mis amigos! I would like to thank jilaregold and SB- Potterhead Budgie Lover for leaving reviews for me. Reviews are the best and I appreciate all of them. I hope you enjoy this chapter and I hope that it begins to shape the loveable characters in a way you might not expect or is exactly how you predict them to be._**

 ** _Sorry for the long upload, I ended up reading OotP, HBP, DH and a book by a different author than JK. I had my graduate show, job applications and life to sort out. AND I've been trying to figure out who would be in Jily's year at Hogwarts and any other students they are likely to talk to. If anybody knows of any possibles then could you please put the names down in a review. Cheers._**

 ** _Disclaimer: JK Rowling is the Queen, I'm her slave_**

 _Chapter 2 - "I gotta get back to Hogwarts" - Star Kid_

 _(Man, it's September, so I'm skipping this town)_

 ** _'Dark Lord Asks for Muggle Borns to be Registered'_**

 ** _by Rita Skeeter._**

Lily had already read the small, front page article tens times this morning and it left a horrible sensation in the pit of her stomach every time. At present, she was sitting in a train carriage but her mind was recalling the mornings proceedings. Just as she was about to leave for King's Cross Station, her Dad had picked up the Daily Prophet by accident and started to ask questions about the front page news. "Who is this Dark Lord?" She snatched it out of his hands, stuffed it into her bag and pushed her family, including Petunia, out the door before he could continue to read it.

"Whats the hurry, Freak?"

"If I miss the train then I'm stuck here with you." Lily hissed, giving her sister a harder shove in the back. Petunia glared back but got the message; the freak could _not_ be late. "Dad, is everything packed?"

"Yes." He yawned, shutting the boot. Quickly, she got in the car and pulled out the newspaper.

 ** _'Dark Lord Asks for Muggleborns to be Registered'_**

 ** _by Rita Skeeter._**

 _Following all of August's Death Eater demands and incidents, the Dark Lord has called for a Muggleborn Registration. He has ordered for all Muggleborn information, such as their names, date of birth and home address; to be publicly accessible to the wizarding community._

 _The message was issued this morning by an Imperiused Ministry worker. Muggleborn Eve Baker, 24, was reported missing three weeks ago. Believed by her family to have been kidnapped due to blood status and her memory of Muggleborns during her time at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Miss Baker resurfaced late last night only to write the Dark Lord's demand on the side of a building in central London. The message was written, using magic, in front of two wizard witnesses and several muggles. Ministry wizards have sealed off the area and are obligating all muggle witnesses._

 _After delivering the message, Miss Baker took her own life, probably under the influence of the Imperius Curse. Miss Baker has become the twenty-second, known victim of You-Know-Who in the past month. Her family and Ministry workers urge Muggleborns not to proceed with the Dark Lords request and to be careful._

 _The Minister, Harold Minchum, responded, in short. "The Ministry will not succumb to such requests. Nor will it fall."_

Before she could delve into worst case scenarios, her Dad asked her the same question. "Who is this Dark Lord?"

"He's just some guy." She shrugged, crumbling the newspaper back into her bag. Her hand quietly wrapped around her wand, subconsciously aware of what Lily had planned. "It's nothing to worry about."

"What's a Muggl-"

"Erh, Dad we don't need to listen to _Her_ world issues. There's more important issues like where are we going shopping in London for my wedding dress" Petunia interrupted.

For once, she was thankful for her sister's hatred.

The drive down was silent for the rest of the journey. No one spoke for hours, probably because Petunia and Mrs Evans had fallen asleep. Mr Evans kept glancing in his rear view mirror at Lily. She knew he wasn't going to let it go, he was going to ask her about it when Petunia wasn't in ear shot, and she knew she'd never tell him. Lily got her stubbornness from him.

Lily glanced out at the towering buildings that enveloped the outskirts of London and remembered a chilling line from the article. _'…Muggleborn information, such as their names, date of birth and home address…'._ This line filled her with the most dread. Voldemort wanted to know where her family lived and there's only one reason for him to want to know that. To kill them. The grip around her wand tightened as she became fully aware of what she had to do. She wanted to cry but this was for her families safety.

Slowly, she pulled out her wand and rested it at the side of her. They weren't far from King's Cross now.

"Dad, just park over here," Lily spoke, a little chocked. "It's going to be too busy to park at the station."

"Don't be silly, Lily. It's 7am in the morning." Her mother smiled. "We are seeing you to the platform."

"But-"

"No, Lily." Mr Evans said, agitated. "You have made us leave at five o'clock this morning. No one is going to be there. We are not leaving you alone on a platform."

She huffed. "No one even knows it exists, I'll be safe."

Her father glared at her in the mirror. "Afraid we'll embarrass you?"

"No, I don't need you being overprotective." Lily shouted. Her father pulled over towards the station and parked up. "If you want to say bye, say it now because I'm leaving."

With all the speed she could muster, she exited the car and began to collect her things from the boot. Her parents were both quick on her tail making Lily even more flustered on what to do. A luggage trolley was procured before she could drag it away in a huff. Why couldn't they see that she's only trying to help them? _Oh Merlin, it's probably too late. The Death Eaters have probably already seen them._

She let her parents drag Petunia out of the car to say goodbye. "Ta-ra a bit, Freak." Was all she said, before sulking on the car door, impatiently waiting to be let back in. It made Lily smile in a somewhat nostalgic way.

Sheepishly, she glanced at her parents who were not happy but were reluctantly letting their daughter go. "You will write me a letter tonight, and if Inch doesn't deliver it by tomorrow morning, I will…I…" Her mother began before realising she wouldn't know where to find her daughter. At last Mrs Evans smiled, "I hope you have a good year, Lily."

It was her Dad's turn to say something but he just nodded at her. He was of little words but a man of huge gesture. Lily grinned and nodded back before giving her parents a long overdue hug farewell. She didn't want to let go of this hug, she didn't want to let go. But she knew she had to for them. Once more, her hand wrapped around her wand, but this time she pulled it out of her leather satchel. "I just want you to know that I love you," Lily said, raising the wand higher knowing exactly what to do.

The spell was on the tip of her tongue but she got interrupted by the worst person imaginable. "Evans?"

As quick as a flash, she stowed her wand back in her bag and jumped out of her parents grip to glare at him. "Potter, this does not concern you."

"Is this why you didn't want us to be at the platform?" Her mother asked, walking over to James. "It's nice to me-"

"No, no, no, no, _no_!" Lily proclaimed, dragging her mother backwards. "James is…" She couldn't think of the word to sum him up. Yes she had said they were friends less than a month ago but that was in a bickering match, and now with Potter looking at her expectingly, the word friend didn't want to come out. "James is just some guy in my form."

He wanted to retort but as he looked behind Lily at her parents, he grinned. A grin she knew too well. "I thought you'd told your parents about me? No." He gasps theatrically before walking quickly past a dumbstruck Lily to her parents. He held out his hand to them with a charismatic smile "Hello, I'm James Potter."

"Don't you play that broom sport?" Mr Evans asked, too quickly for Lily's liking. Her father had asked her about it the first time they went to Diagon Alley, in first year, when he saw the _Quality Quidditch Supplies_ shop. She had only mentioned _once_ that James had played it in a letter, why did her father have to remember that part specifically?

"Yes, I'm our house captain." He said proudly. "I assume Lily has told you about me then."

"Yes, she has mentioned you before" Mrs Evans smiled sweetly, greeting Potter with a welcoming handshake. Her father shook his hand as well with a pleased expression that annoyed Lily.

James turned around with a grin from ear to ear. "She has, has she?"

"Only bad things." Lily glared, crossing her arms.

"Don't lie, Lily. She seems very fon-"

"Okay, Mom." She said cutting in and grabbed James by the sleeve to his luggage cart. She pushed him towards where hers was waiting. "We'll… I mean, I will see you later. I'll write the letter on the train ride. Bye."

Lily didn't give her parents a chance to say farewell a second time. She just pushed her trolley forward and didn't look back. Well, she tried to but as soon as she crossed the road, and the looming archway entrance approached, she looked backwards at her happy parents. They stood outside the car waving cheerfully at her. She waved back just as enthusiastically. It was too late to do what she had thought.

Lily watched her family drive away before turning on James and thumping him in the arm. "You know why."

"You're welcome." He said, pushing his trolley unconsciously towards platform 9.

"What?" Lily laughed, "I didn't thank you for anything."

"You will later."

( _Back to witches and wizards, and magical beasts_ )

James had stopped her from wiping her families memory of her and maybe, just maybe, she did need to thank him. The newspaper had scared her. It made her feel like she needed to save her family from something they didn't even know about. But maybe, just maybe, the were safe being naive about her world. The Ministry would not allow Voldemort to get his demands, Dumbledore would not allow it for sure.

Her confused mind wasn't going to cleared for a long time. It didn't help that she was constantly looking at that article, which Remus noticed and pointed out in a whisper. (The other three Marauders had arrived fifteen minutes after James and Lily had sat down in their usual years carriage.) "You're going to make yourself mad, Lily. Just put it down."

There wasn't an easy place to put it. Her luggage had been placed into the correct carriage and her leather satchel was up above. Nor could she move. James had decided to nap with his face resting on her lap, a position he had managed to wear down her resistance of, through many years of persistence. His annoying, impromptu slumber was the reason why they were speaking in hushed voices. "Erm…" she muttered flummoxed, waving the newspaper around like a mad woman.

"For fucks sake, Evans." Sirius exasperated, quietly, and took the newspaper out of her hands with a raised eyebrow. "Why don't you just wake him up by hitting him with the newspaper?"

"Erm…" Lily repeated, because there wasn't an answer to that. _Why hadn't I hit him?_

"Is seventh year Lily going to be this illiterate?" Sirius laughed, taking his sit, across from her, and placing his feet on her knees. The extra weight on her legs caused James to stir a little bit before his quiet snores began again. "Ha, I think I'm going to like how this year is going to plan out."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Wormtail asked. Remus and Sirius both looked at him, with an are-you-an-idiot expression, before looking at Lily again. Wormtail followed and opened his mouth nodding as if he understood what they meant.

Lily shook her head. "You guys are ridiculous."

"Ridiculously handsome." Sirius smirked, "You've got to be a Marauder to get it."

"I'd rather not know." she replied, knowing full well how they worked and thought.

As it drew nearer to departure, the platform outside got busier as new and returning witches and wizards arrived for a new year at Hogwarts. Inside their carriage, however, Lily had lost focus of the conversation and looked melancholy out of the window. At some point, she had started to stroke James' hair, absentmindedly. It was soft and less knotty as one would think. The Marauders nor Marlene, who had arrived around ten and lifted James' feet up for her to sit in that sit, made a snide comment. It wasn't until Mary came in did Lily stop and noticed.

"Well, doesn't this look cosy." She smirked, as she slid the door open with such force that door crashed loudly in its slot caused James, and other students carriages away, to wake up with a jolt.

"What time is it?" James said rubbing his eyes before fixing his glasses.

"Ten thirty four," Remus replied looking at his watch.

The time must have been relevant because all the Marauders jumped out of their seats and raced out of the room, towards the front of the carriage. Sirius was the last to leave, as he had been seated by the window, and smiled sweetly at Lily before planted a kiss on her cheek. "See you later, Evans."

"Urgh." She muttered, wiping her hand on her cheek in disgust.

"Care to explain yourself, Miss Evans?" Mary giggled, sitting in the once occupied seat of Sirius Black.

Lily shrugged.

"Don't just shrug. Marlene, help me here."

Marlene shrugged too.

"You two are the worst. You two need to get your emotions in check before you hurt yourselves or someone else."

"It's already been five minutes and we've had a lecture on expressing our feelings. I think that's a new record, don't you think Lils?"

"If we were all as open as Mary is, I think we'd-"

"OKAY, okay." Mary interrupted looking cross. "Stop making me seem like some sort of overly emotional slut who can't keep her legs crossed."

"That should be the title of your autobiography." Marlene tittered.

Mary looked out the window dejectedly and huffed, "Where's Emmy when you need her?"

Emmeline showed up two minutes after entering the room the same way Mary did, which was very out of character for her. "Are you dating Potter?" She asked sitting down, opposite Marlene.

"What?!" Lily exclaimed. "No, I certainly am not."

"Why the hell are you letting him sleep on your lap and brushing his hair like he's some freakin' precious cute thing."

"Nice work, Em." Marlene coughed.

"I don't know," Lily shrugged again. "It just kinda happened. How do you even know about it? Who told you we were dating? Was it Potter?"

"Gilderoy was gossiping about it. Said he saw you kissing Sirius Black, too."

"Hey, Sirius kissed her on the cheek." Mary scoffed. She'd always had a thing for Black.

"Why would anyone believe Lockhart?" Marlene questioned, "Everyone knows he spreads rumours."

"That's beside the point," Vance said, "Do you like James Potter?"

"We're friends now."

"Stop shrugging, Evans." Mary glared, "Do you have _feelings_ for James?"

"No."

"Will you tell me - I mean, us - will you tell us when you do?"

"No."

Mary screamed, "Why not?!"

"Because that will never _ever_ happen."

( _It's been so long, but we're going back_ )

The train departed precisely at eleven. Lily had hoped that her friends, particularly Mary, would let _it_ go. The subject hadn't been dropped until she couldn't take it anymore and strode out of the compartment. Lily didn't have to explain herself to MacDonald. James and herself were on mutual agreements now. No one questions Sirius' motives. What Mary saw, and Lockhart, was an accident. It will never happen again. Never.

Lily had calmed down by the time she'd walked onto the next train carriage. Her train carriage, E, was quiet because no one could be bothered to go that far up the train to find space. D, on the other hand, was full of laughter and movement inside and outside compartments.

"Better watch out, the Head Girl is on her way." Digory Kirke shouted, in a gleeful, laughable spirit. He was the Beater on the Gryffindor Quidditch team and was in his sixth year at Hogwarts. He had many mannerisms of Sirius Black - cocky, a joker and a womaniser, yet what set them apart was Kirke's lack of brain. One would say he had been hit by a Bludger too many times. Physically, Kirke was smaller and stockier - perfect for a Beater - with short, blonde hair perfectly parted to the side. "Do you know who the Head Boy is?"

Lily looked at him quizzically, "He hasn't told you?"

Kirke shook his head. If James hadn't told his team, he hadn't told anyone but the main group.

"I think I'll leave it up to him to tell you." She smiled,a tad evilly. "It'll surprise you."

"Ah, come on now Evans."

She kept smiling at him as she said farewell and moved on down the aisle. It was hard going as everyone was greeting her with pleasantries and small talk. It was a little odd.

C was full of Slytherins, the only compartment the houses didn't mix, stayed within their rooms but when she got to B is was the same as coach D. "Head Girl." Abigail Dearborn, a fifth year and chaser on the Gryffindor team, screamed giving Lily a hug. Dearborn was an overly enthusiastic girl. "Did you have a good summer Lily? This year is going to be _so_ good. Quidditch is going to be awesome. You and James are Head Boy and G-"

"You know Potter's Head Boy?"

Abbie looked shocked, like a deer caught in a head light. She began to squirm and rushed down the corridor mumbling something about messing up the plan. If Kirke didn't know but Dearborn did was there something Lily was missing? Or what if all the Quidditch team did know and Kirke had lied? Lily started to ponder on this questions as she continued on her journey to the Prefects carriage.

Again, it was hard to move because of people. The number of people outside seemed to be more than those in the compartments, like they were purposefully outside. Conveniently outside.

Twice for a busy corridor to happen could have been a simple coincidence but as soon as she stepped into carriage A, Lily knew this had to be planned. She didn't have time for Richard King, another one of Potter's team, to greet her. She just barged past everyone, focused on the door at the end. Lily could of sworn she heard someone whisper, "abort, abort."

The Prefect's Carriage was different to the other train cars. It was more like a dining car. The room was open and full of light decorated in opulent reds and purples. A small aisle ran down the middle where the Head Boy and Girl would do a little speech for encouragement. It started to make Lily panic thinking about it as she had thought about winging it, but maybe with this year, it should have been planned to have a prolific meaning of camaraderie.

The Head Boy wasn't currently there, which surprised her due to the escapade of getting herself here, but it wasn't empty. Keen fifth years, except Slytherins, had seated themselves together and looked like they were introducing themselves. Lily went over to introduce herself too as she only knew the two Gryffindor prefects, Amelia Mason and Balgair Peakes.

It wasn't soon after niceties were done the other prefects started to arrive, along with one straggler. "Sirius. Get. Out."

"Arh, come on." Sirius pouted, looking at her with puppy dog eyes. "It's his big day."

Remus looked sheepishly at her as if he'd been a co-conspirator. "It's only one extra person."

Lily huffed, "It's a good thing I like you, Black."

He gave her a cheeky wink before walking off with Lupin towards where the sixth year Gryffindor prefects, Fenella Abercrombie and Sanjay Patil, sat. Fenella sorted out her posture the second she saw Black walk towards her. "I see why you come here." He uttered to Moony, just loud enough for Fenella to hear.

It had just gone twelve when the Slytherins had arrived. Lily had been courteous towards them, which hadn't been given back. "Okay, then," she muttered and turned back around to sit with the only two people who'd know where Potter's current whereabouts.

"You know Prongs." were the only words they said. She did know Potter and thats what made her even more worried.

Time ticked on. The prefects started to glance at her to see what was going on - to their knowledge the Head Boy was already in the carriage.

Lily was about to give up and begin without him, but the lights suddenly all went out. Everyone reached for their wands yet noticed that they had all gone missing. Panic started to sift through the air as a witch or wizard without a wand is useless against someone who has one. Before mass hysteria could take place, a firework entered the room, which in turned caused more and more to follow. It illuminated people's shocked, confused, surprised faces from time to time, in a beautiful series of colours.

The lights suddenly came back on showing the mass smoke filling the carriage and in the middle was James Potter, looking extremely cocky. The prefects couldn't quite believe it. They all looked at Lily for confirmation, who nodded accordingly. With the exception of Slytherin, who looked appalled by the new Head Boy, everyone was up on their feet cheering and celebrating.

Lily didn't join in. She waited for everyone to finish hooha-ing over Potter. He smiled at her as he walked over. "Before you get yourself in a twist, I did warn you I was going to make an entrance."

She looked at him perplexed. Then it clicked. "Where's your interpretive dance?"

"I don't want to seem too arrogant." He winked and wrapped his arm around Lily's shoulder.

She nudged him away, probably a little bit too forcefully but she didn't care. "Git."

"How the _fuck_ is Potter Head Boy?" The seventh year Slytherin prefect, Helena Carrow, asked aggressively.

"He wasn't even a prefect!" Maxwell Burke, a sixth year Slytherin, interjected.

"Hey, if Dumbledore says so, that should be a good enough reason." Douglas Macmillan, a Hufflepuff seventh year, said glaring at the Slytherins.

"Thanks, Mac, but I think I can fight my own battles." James said sincerely towards Macmillan. He then faced the Slytherin booths and said, "Deal with it!"

( _This year we'll take everybody by storm_ )

"How did it go?" Emmeline Vance asked as soon as Lily stepped into their compartment.

"I'm going to kill him." She said, seething. Immediately after he uttered those three words, there was uproar. The Slytherins began to shout back oaths of vulgarities which caused the other prefects to argue for James' case. Lupin and herself had to hold Sirius back at one point. The news that Potter had become Head Boy would have already passed through the school like wild fire. "It's like he has to cause a fight with a Slytherin _every_ fucking time he's in a room with one."

"I thought I handled it pretty well." James commented, leaning against the door frame.

"No, you just watched it all unfold like a mad lunatic. You're Head Boy, for Merlin's sake."

"They already had an issue when they knew Snape hadn't got the position." Lupin said, as he pushed past James and sat down next to Lily.

"Urgh, why do you have to support him, Remus?" She asked rhetorically.

"Can someone tell me - I mean us - tell us what happened?" Mary begged.

Sirius took to the stage sprouting a load of bullshit on how James had battled monsters and was reborn as a phoenix. It lightened the mood slightly as Lily herself couldn't help but laugh at Black's overly ridiculous rendition.

The laughter continued for the rest of the journey as people started to wonder in and out of the compartment. Many of the gang had left to find others, which left herself, Potter, Black and McKinnon. Lily had started to write her mother a letter but it failed. What could she write that wasn't full of lies or of meaning? Maybe she was focusing too much on the negatives to realise that a letter didn't have to be full of purpose. Her parents just wanted to know that she was safe and at school. All Lily needed to know was that her parent's were still alive.

"You can tell your parents I can come for Christmas?" James smirked, sitting next to her. Marlene glanced up from her book and looked knowingly at Lily, who, in return, tried not to notice.

"Can I come too?" Sirius asked, who had sat opposite her, again.

"Why are you coming?" James questioned.

"Because I'd be spending Christmas with _your_ parents."

"My parents prefer you over me anyway."

"Hang on," Lily cut in, "Neither of you are going anywhere near my house and I don't go back for Christmas."

"Since when?" Potter said, looking at her.

"Since fifth year."

"Why not go back this time and take me? I think your parents need to be graced with my presence."

"Ha, just because my father asked you about sport you think you're gonna get along?"

"You're mother liked me too."

"She likes and talks to everyone, it's in her character."

"She did say that you've spoken about me before." James commented, mischievously. "Have you told her how much of a God I am?"

"No, I've told her how much of a massive wazzock you are." Lily snickered.

Sirius spoke, "What have you said about me?"

Lily had told her mother, in letters, all about her friends. Of course, she'd written that Sirius and James were basically the same annoying, disruptive class clowns but, for some reason, she wanted to lie. It would only be a little white lie to stick it to James. "Oh, I've told them so many glorious things and that I'm so much in love love with you."

Marlene giggled, "If either of you believe that bunch of bullshit, then you are the biggest idiots ever."

The letter seemed to write itself after Lily's mood uplifted. She just had to write like she would normally to show the parent's that nothing had changed. That nothing was bothering her.

Lily was going to venture to the luggage carriage, to go visit Inch and make him send the letter to her parents, when two figures in the doorway stopped her. "Lily!" Cressida Fleming screamed as she opened the door and gave Lily a squeeze. Cressida was the fifth girl in the Gryffindor seventh year dormitory. She is loud, brash and overly expressive, which overpowered Lily and her friends sometimes causing them to be friends than close friends. The guys of Hogwarts didn't seem to mind of her touchy feely personality nor did they mind her curvaceous form and her perfect waved brunette hair.

Fleming let go of Lily, but as soon as she did, Harriet Green hugged Lily. Harriet was Fleming's best friend and the final girl to the seventh year dorm. The two are very much the same in personality and looks but Green was a tad quieter and more petite in stature. "I'm gonna miss you from our dorm," she whispered in Lily's ear. "You're the one that stops everyone from fighting."

That statement was somewhat true. Most of the girls in their dorm could handle Cressida but Mary MacDonald could not stand her. They were the only two girls that would bicker and argue about the most minuscule things. They both understood that they shouldn't make their friends pick sides on who is right or wrong, Lily was very thankful for that.

"Are you two together, now?" Fleming asked as she sat down next to James and looked at Lily.

"Yes." James said, cheekily.

"No." Lily replied, at the same time, determinedly. "Who told you that?"

Cressida smiled, annoyingly sweetly. "Its the inevitable, doll face. But seeing as your not together, can I borrow James for a few?"

"Please take him away." Lily smiled back, with the same amount of fake sweetness as Cressida was expressing. "Now, if you'll excuse me."

Lily didn't return to the compartment until the sun had set. She had watched her owl fly off with the letter but couldn't bring herself to see Fleming and Green flirt with the two Marauders. She couldn't put her finger on why she now felt a monster inside herself because, in previous years, she couldn't have given a tiny rats ass whether they flirted. Lily had always hated how Fleming treated guys, so maybe that was why she now felt these things at the pit of her stomach.

Familiar hills made her go back to the carriage, as she knew, Hogwarts couldn't be too far away. Thankfully the original settlers in the carriage had all arrived with the addition of Kingsley Shacklebolt. "Congratulations," he said, patting Lily on the shoulder.

She didn't have time to chat with him as Emmeline had already dragged her away, out of the compartment where people were readying themselves to exit the train, looking flustered. "There's already been an argument with Mary and Cress. Merlin, it was ridiculous."

"Em, can we talk about this on the way into school. I need to get ready."

Vance had not heard what Lily said or had chosen to ignore it as she followed Lily back into the compartment. It was very busy as everyone was trying to sort themselves out before the platform arrived. "It was all about Black." Emmeline whispered.

"Black?" Evans mouthed, fully aware that he was sitting right behind her looking smug.

"It seems Cressida has turned to fancying Black."

The monster in Lily subsided as she muttered, "I thought she still had a thing for Potter?"

Her whispering companion smirked a knowing look, "Obviously not. Are you now interested?"

Lily didn't speak to Vance for the remaining ten minutes of the train journey.

The sky had been fully emerged by darkness, and the torches of Hogsmeade station had been lit prior to the train pulling up, making the stars invisible to the eye; now, nearly all of the train's passengers were disembarked. The dim crescent moonlight just barely illuminated the lengthy path to the Thestral-drawn carriages, for the upperclassman. Herself, Marlene, Mary and Emmeline grabbed the first coach they could see. Sirius stepped in but Lily pushed him out and closed the door. "Only girls allowed." She smiled, leaning through the window.

He didn't have time to reply back as the carriage jolted to life. He blow her a kiss as he entered the coach, behind theirs, with his fellow Marauders and a few of the Quidditch team. "Are you alright, Mary?" She asked as she turned back around to see her friend, who she hadn't seen in the very crowded train compartment, look very disheveled.

"I just feel stupid because there's nothing to be upset about." Mary mumbled. "I'm not nor have I ever dated him so I have no leg to stand on. Merlin, I argued in front of Sirius about it like a possessive fan girl."

"Well, you are aren't you." Marlene said, flatly. The three other girls glared at her. "Hey, I didn't say that was a bad thing. You had a go at Lily and me this morning about not having feelings; now, I'm telling you to not push your feelings down and finally tell Sirius what you want."

The others just looked at her dumbstruck. Marlene had never shown this side of herself to anyone. "Wow, McKinnon." Lily smiled, "Look at you growing up."

"No, I'm just sick and tired of the same shit every year." She scowled, going back to her old, usual self. "If it's not you Mary, it's … someone else."

"Who?" Vance questioned.

"Er, we don't care about the other person." Mary cried, "I'm still having a melt down. Do you really think I should say something?"

"What have you got to lose?" Vance smiled, taking Mary's hand. "To be fair, I think Sirius has always known you had a soft spot for him."

"Yeah, he has." Marlene commented, "So if it doesn't go to plan, your friendship won't change."

"Geez, thanks for the optimism." Mary scoffed, "What do you think Lily?"

Lily didn't really know what to think. She didn't want to lead her friend into false hopes nor did she want her friend to miss out on an opportunity that could work. With everything going on in the world, perhaps now is the time to act, to do things that are out of character. "Are you a Gryffindor?" was all she said for Mary to understand. (It was a phrase the group used when asked about bravery.)

The carriage stopped at the base of the castle, which now loomed over them in a familiar, warm embrace. Every witch or wizard that walked through the doors of Hogwarts knew it to be there home. It was where learning, love and life happened. Lily smiled to herself as she exited the coach at seeing her second home. The first years hadn't arrived yet, they were visibly still bobbing along the lake coming to the embankment to depart, and her fellow returning pupils were making their way to the Entrance Hall awaiting the Sorting ceremony.

Mary, as she exited the coach and saw that the Marauders were leaving theirs, said determinedly, "I'm gonna do it! I'm gonna do it!"

"We'll see you at the table." Lily smiled reassuringly.

Lily, Emmeline and Marlene walked away towards the Entrance Hall. "What did MacDonald want?" Potter asked as he joined them over by one of the statues that lined the walls, quickly joined by the rest of the Marauders and Kingsley.

"I'm sure Black will fill you in later." Marlene responded with a slightly bitter tone.

The massive oak doors enchantingly opened to the Great Hall. Students started to pile into and sit at their allocated tables. The ceiling had been transformed to match the beautiful, melancholy night sky outside with a candle forming the various star constellations that could be seen. The Hall soon started to fill up with echoes as everyone waited excitedly for the ceremony to begin so they could took into the glorious food Hogwarts offered.

Lily sat down next to Remus, who in turn, asked why Mary wanted to talk to Black.

"Were you there when the argument happened?"

"Yes." He whispered, keeping his head low as James sat opposite them. "I just got back from finding Kingsley and Wormtail. It was quiet loud."

"How did Black react?"

Remus looked at Lily with a careful expression. They were always very honest about things but she could tell when he was contemplating what to tell her when the other three Marauders were involved. "He just sat there like he'd been _stupefy_ -ed."

She was about to retort when she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Mary. Lily knew that it hadn't gone well. Mary's looked like she had cried but she stood there looking relieved and, somewhat, happier. Sirius sat opposite her, next to James, and smiled sweetly. He leaned across to whisper in Mary's ear and said something that made her giggle, which made Lily's anger subside.

Mary squirmed her way under Lily's arm and gave her friend a squeeze. "Everything's good, there's no need to hex him."

"There's still time for that." Lily grumbled, making Mary laugh.

After all the returning students had been seated, the teachers began to take their seats at the top table, which were then followed in by the new first years attending school. The Sorting ceremony went very quickly and smoothly, with very little said by the Sorting Hat. Perhaps Dumbledore was saving all the of the speech for the end of the night. The empty tables soon became filled with glorious food and every started to ravenously help themselves to all the food available, as if they hadn't eaten in a months.

Lily had double helpings of cottage pie, and was starting to munch on the treacle tart slice she had saved, before she opened her mouth to talk. "What did you say to Sirius?" Lily queried. Sirius was in a loud debate with Potter about something so she knew she didn't have to speak in hushed voices.

"Lets not talk about it, Lils. It's all good. I'll go back to the Ravenclaw from the summer." Mary said, as she gobbled her fork full of roast chicken. "I think I was just lashing out because of what the Daily Prophet had written about this morning, and in my head I was just saying to myself, ' _there might not be a lot of time left so why not just jump straight in?'_ You know?"

She looked at her friend confounded, "I didn't know you-"

"I didn't want to trouble you with it because we are both in the situation."

Lily smiled a little, "Yes, it's not the best situation."

Mary and herself were both muggleborns yet Mary, in their sixth year, had been a target for a few Slytherins to practice one of the Unforgivable Curse's on. Lily could see in her friends sky blue eyes pools of worry at the thought of her family being found because she had previously been a victim of a now Death Eater. She wanted to comfort her friends with promises of everything being alright, but that was against Lily's nature to be dishonest. "All I can promise is that we, as a group, will get through this together. No matter what."

"Making toasts, Evans?" James said, obviously having eavesdropped on the last sentence. "Shouldn't you leave that to Dumbledore?"

She glared at him, "It's a promise to a friend."

He reached for his glass and lifted it, "To what Lily Evans said."

Everyone in the group cheered and the clinking of glasses made other people along the table participated. Even a few first years joined in. "Already rallying in the troops?" Lily smirked.

"It's what happens when everyone loves the Head Boy. You need to be one with the people, Evans."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

James didn't get chance to explain because Dumbledore had made his way to the front and was addressing the room. "To our new students, welcome; to our old, welcome back! Another year full of magical education awaits you. I will start of with saying that Mr Filch, our caretaker, has asked me to say that there is a new and improved list of banned items, which are nailed on his door. And for those who wish to play for their house Quidditch team, please give your name to your Head of House.

Now onto a more unpleasant, but necessary, topic. Lord Voldemort and his followers are increasing in numbers and strength."

The silence seemed to attune and strain as Dumbledore spoke. Lily glanced at Snape. He was not looking at the Professor, but making his fork hover in midair with his wand, as though he found the Headmaster's words unworthy of his attention.

"I cannot emphasise strongly enough how dangerous the present situation is, and how much care each of us at Hogwarts must take to ensure that we remain safe. Within the school, I am ordering anyone from the fourth year upwards to be taking part in Apparition and more advanced spell casting lessons, such as the Patronus - which will be evaluated. These pupils, who learn these new skills, will be allocated a pupil from the first, second and third years to protect and keep safe.

The castle has been strengthened by protection spells new and old to keep you all safe. We must abide to any security restrictions that have been placed by your teachers, however tedious you might find them - in particular, the curfew. I request that if you notice anything strange or suspicious within or outside the castle, to report it to a member of staff immediately. I trust you to conduct yourselves, always, with the upmost regard for your own and each other safety.

For those who are, who have been or who are most likely to be _effected_ by the doings of Lord Voldemort, you will be given a note by your Head of House tomorrow morning, with your timetables, to meet with me to discuss certain issues."

Dumbledore's blue eyes swept over the students before he smiled once more. "Thats enough doom and gloom for one night. Your beds await you so let us say goodnight."

A chorus of "First years come with me" echoed through the hall as fifth year prefects escorted the new pupils to their new homes. Following that, the deafening screech of benches being pushed backed erupted as everyone else made their way out and towards their common rooms.

"Do you think we'll get a note?" Mary asked, as they made their way out of the hall and up the stairs.

"I guess so," Lily sighed.

"Urgh, can you believe we've got to watch out for a little snot nosed brat all year?!" Marlene growled, who was now on Lily's other side. "Before you start, I know its for the good for everyone in the school but … what am I going to say to a child?"

"You can teach them spells so they can take care of themselves." Emmeline muttered, "I'm gonna teach mine the Patronus Charm."

"Do you know how to cast one?" Marlene scoffed.

"No, but-"

"I wonder what mine's going to turn into?" Mary asked, wishfully.

"They're meant to match your personality." Lily said, as they walked up the stairs to the Gryffindor tower.

"Does that mean McKinnon's is going to be a Flobberworm?" Mary giggled, quietly to herself.

As they walked higher and higher, there seemed to be a commotion as the majority of the Gryffindor house were standing in the stairway. Lily pushed her way through to see the two fifth years having an argument with the Fat Lady. "Hey, whats going on here?" she asked the three of them.

"She won't let us in and we are saying the right password." Amelia Mason said agitated.

"Codswallop!" Balgair Peakes shouted the password which made the Fat Lady cross her arms with defiance.

"Butterbeer." James Potter said as he reached them. The Fat Lady smiled and opened the concealed door. "The password had to be changed after we discussed it on the train. Peakes, if you see any of our prefects, tell them the password is being changed fortnightly. Mason, tell everyone the new password when they walk in. Thank you."

Lily stood there astonished at the authority James had easily expressed, even though it shouldn't have as she had seen how he conducted the Quidditch team. "Hey, why didn't you tell me you'd changed it?" She inquired as the two of them walked through the portal into the familiar common room. It was a cosy, round room that was full of squashy, red armchairs and sofas. Herself and James were heading towards the ones nearest the fire.

Potter shrugged as he turned to sit down in an armchair. "Don't think anything of it, Evans. I changed it when we got off the train and then forgot about not telling anyone."

"What was wrong with the one we came up with together?"

"I didn't trust that we were alone when we agreed." He whispered very seriously to Lily. Quickly, it went away and a smile went across his face. "Glad to be back, ay, Mooney."

"Of course." Remus yawned and sat down next to Lily on the sofa.

"I think its time for a game." Sirius smiled, holding a bottle of Firewhiskey in his hands.

"There are still underclassman about." Lily said, pointing at the bewildered students that were clearly first years.

"Hey," James shouted, scaring the newbies, "Boys dorms on the left, girls on the right. Scram!" All of the first years ran up the stairs to their allocated rooms. He turned around to face the group with a huge smile. "I think that's sorted it out."

Lily sighed and gave into the peer pressure and took part in the game. It ended up being a muggle drinking game they'd wrangled out of Peter called 'Never have I ever…', which Lily was familiar with. A fair few secrets had been found out and laughed at. A 'Never have I ever fancied anyone in this group' had been said by someone and everyone drank, which caused everyone to try and guess who Lily had or still was interested in.

The evening continued in joyful and tipsy spirits until the clock on the wall bonged twelve. The group went their separate ways as they climbed up the dormitory stairs. Lily said her goodnights to her close friends but Mary lingered on. "I don't think I can go in and face Fleming tonight. Can I stay with you?"

"Only for one night, MacDonald." Lily nodded her head and draped her arm over her friends shoulder, for she too couldn't face being alone thinking of that newspaper article.

 **A/N. Thank you guys for reading this . I apologise about the ending ending abruptly. There was going to be a whole page or two on the drinking game but I thought, I've got to end it at some point. I quite like the ending with her and Mary heading up together, Muggle-borns together.**

 **PS. I apologise for any spelling issues on here. I prefer to read fanfics on a mobile and I was proof reading this and found some mistakes that I have now edited. If you see any I'm sorry and I hope it won't effect your view of this fanfic.**


	3. Name

**_AN: Bonjour! First of all, thank you sannique and Maddie-Taylor1654 for reviewing the story so far. I love you guys 3._**

 ** _I know that I am spelling Mom like this and that is because, from the Midlands (which Lily and I are from) that is how we write it. We don't say or write Mum, it is always Mom. And I'm also writing in some quite Midland colloquialisms (and British informal words) so I apologise in advance but I feel like they are necessary for the character._**

 ** _Disclaimer: JK Rowling is the Athena and I'm her worshipper_**

 _Chapter 3 - 'I don't know if we should be alone together' - The Neighbourhood_

 _(Treacle Tart fiasco)_

Lily hadn't slept well the first night. Mary had managed to sleep diagonally across the bed, with all the duvet, causing Lily to have a very sleepless night. Begrudgingly, she exited her room, in a cranky mood, and headed down for breakfast, alone. It wasn't a surprise that at seven o'clock she was the only one seated at a table.

Her owl, Inch, swooped through the window as she scooped chocolate cereal into a bowl. He landed perfectly on her awaiting arm and she took the letter out of his claw. Lily rested him on the bench next to herself while she turned over the letter. When she looked at it closely, her name wasn't on the envelope. Her Mom had scribbled:

 _James Potter_

 _The Great Hall_

 _Hogwarts_

Why would her mother send _him_ a letter?

"Inch," she commanded and the beautiful snowy owl listened by flying onto her arm again. "You go back to my parents and pester them to write _me_ a letter. You can nibble or claw them, if you want."

The owl hooted in acknowledgment of his order and flew gracefully out into the sky.

"You're early this morning, Evans." Potter commented as he sat down opposite her.

Lily scowled, "So are you. Why are you up?"

"I go for a run in the morning." He said as if it was old news and that everyone knew about it.

"Why are you always late to lessons then?"

"To make an entrance."

"Always got to be centre of attention."

"It's what happens when you're a popular, famous, spoilt, only child."

"At least you know it then." Lily laughed.

James noticed the letter with a smile. "You already got mail?"

She wanted to lie, she wanted to open it up to see what her mother had written about. What could she possible have written about? They had only just met the other day! But she knew if she opened the letter, she wouldn't morally feel right. She threw the letter at him. "It was addressed to you."

"Who's it from?"

"My mother." Lily scowled into her cereal, trying not to look at the expression James might have. She waited for the noise of an envelope opening but no sound came. She looked up from her food to see James tucking into his. "Are you not going to open it?"

"I'll save it for later." He winked as he placed a spoon full of cereal in his mouth. "I told you your mother liked me. Maybe she's already asked me to come over from Christmas."

"Keep dreaming, Potter."

Herself and James had finished their second helping of breakfast, in a very civil manner that surprised her, before the rest of their group had joined up with them. Well, everyone except Remus, who on a morning tended to be the last one to arrive. "Are we no longer waiting for one another in the common room?" Sirius asked, sitting down next to Lily with a mischievous tone. "I thought best friends were meant to eat together and forever?!"

"Let them have their little breakfast date." Mary giggled, sitting next to James. "It's cute."

Lily couldn't even be bothered to argue against it. She was too tired to care.

"You already got mail, Prongs?" Peter inquired as he sat down on the other side of James and saw the unopened letter.

"Yes, it's from a very special lady."

"Who?"

"Mrs Evans."

Marlene nearly spat out her drink and tapped Lily on the shoulder. "Why the fuck is your mother sending Potter, of all people, a letter? I've been to your house, like, ten times."

Mary and Emmeline seconded Marlene's question.

Remus had entered and squeezed himself between Lily and Marlene, yawning. "What's going on?" He looked very ill today.

"They are arguing about who my mother sends letters to." Lily huffed with her left hand on her face, dejected.

"I thought she sent everyone letters."

"No." Mary said, agitated.

He looked at her puzzled. "I've been getting letters from Mrs Evans since fifth year."

"Hang on, my mother has been sending you letters for nearly two years?" Lily asked with an aggressive tone.

Lupin nodded.

"What the hell does she write to you about?"

"Just everyday questions like how I'm doing, and how you are doing. She made me treacle tart for my birthday last year. I can see why it's your favourite dessert, Lily, because your mother's is the best I've ever eaten."

Everyone looked at him flabbergasted. James spoke first, "Maybe I'll ask Mrs Evans for a treacle tart for my birthday."

"I thought you didn't like treacle tart." Lily said, looking him in his chocolate brown eyes. "You never eat it at dinner."

"It's my favourite." He commented with a passion he only expressed when talking about Quidditch. "You always get to it before anyone else can, Miss Got-To-Have-The-Last-Slice."

"At least, you've _now_ got something in common." Mary smirked. Lily gave her a kick.

After everyone calmed down, the rest of the owls arrived bringing the letters of parents who wanted to make sure their children got to Hogwarts safely. The _Daily Prophet_ owl landed in front of them and dropped off papers to the nine Gryffindors. They all placed a Knut in the pouch and then it flew away again, without even a hoot.

All of the group became silent as the front page headline drew them in. In huge, black writing, that filled up half the page, was a simple titles of:

 **' _You-Know-Who Increases His Demands For Muggleborn Information'_**

 ** _by Rita Skeeter_**

"I thought the article yesterday was about that." Mary whispered, looking at Lily with fear in her eyes.

Lily sighed as she read further down the page.

Kingsley responded, in his usual calm and reassuring voice. "It seems he has managed to use the Imperius Charm on Muggleborn members of the Ministry so that his message could be delivered to nearly every department."

He didn't need to tell them what happened to the people who'd been under the curse. "How many?" Mary asked as she was now refusing to read the paper at all. It lay the other side of her, crumbled.

"Twelve." Lily uttered with confidence but didn't want to look up at anyone. She didn't want to see their sympathy or their sadness so she put the newspaper back in her bag and helped herself to some fruit salad, pretending that nothing had happened.

"That's set the day off well." Sirius commented, making her grin at the obviousness of the statement. Lily looked up at him and saw the usual cheeky, slightly cocky, smile. "Shall I call over Minevra so that we can get started on this glorious September day?"

"I dare you to call her Minevra to her face." She laughed, challenging him.

Black didn't respond but just smiled, arrogantly, and went back to his toast.

The liveliness of their conversation ebbed afterwards. Maybe because they were showing their grievance to the family's that had lost people, or it was due to to fact that two Muggleborns were part of the group and their was a scepticism on what can or can't be said. Lily hoped it was the first because she didn't want her friends to feel sorry for her. Nothing yet had happened and, she sure hoped, nothing would.

It was a relief when all the food disappeared from the table and Professor McGonagall walked down the aisle to deliver the new timetables. A buzz of anticipation emanated throughout the Hall as other Heads of House's did the same.

"Thanks Minevra." Sirius smiled, taking his from the teacher.

"Potter, I hope you are going to hold Quidditch tryouts." Professor McGonagall said, clearly ignoring or not hearing Sirius, and passed out the others timetables.

"Our team is full, Professor." James said, glancing at his new timetable with a quizzical expression.

"What about reserves?"

"The ones who are now in fifth year are, now, part of the team, and we still have a reserved player. I don't think we need to do any trials this year." He spoke, reassuringly. Before McGonagall could continue, James pointed at a time slot, tomorrow at five o'clock, that wasn't normally on their timetables "Professor, what does this mean?"

"That is your after school hour lessons for the Patronus Charm. You should be advanced enough in your magic to produce a Corporeal Patronus quickly and effectively so you only have till November. For those who can't, they will be joining the sixth years on their training."

"And what do these mean?" Marlene asked, pointing at the time slot on a Thursday evening, after dinner.

"That time is for you to meet up with your allocated student, from the third year or below."

"I don't have one of those." Lily said, pointing at hers to show the Professor.

The Professor past the two Heads a bit of parchment. "Head Girl and Boy duty, in case of an emergency, is to ensure that everyone, who is not advanced enough, is safe. Dumbledore would like to see the two of you later about it."

"Sounds dangerously exciting." James commented, looking Lily in the eyes with a ferocious glean, an expression she could imagine he had on a full moon before turning into a stag.

"I'm glad to hear the fighting spirit, Potter."

James replied to Professor McGonagall but didn't look away from Lily, enticing her to lock eyes with him. She never noticed that there was a light fleck of grey in his left eye before. In a calm voice, he said, "Some fights are worth fighting for."

 _(xxx)_

"What was that all about?" Mary asked, in a hushed voice, as they walked out of the Hall for their first lesson of seventh year, Charms.

Lily looked at her strangely, "What part?"

"You and James gazing into each others eyes as he confessed his undying love to you—" She cooed, gleefully in a wonderment of movement.

"Ha, I don't know where you got that from."

"—and you're gonna get married and have little James' and little Lily's—"

"MacDonald, stop dancing like a loon." Marlene said, grabbing her friend before she fell up the stairs. "Why are you even acting like this?"

"Arh, poor, poor, Marlene, Can you not feel the love in the air?"

McKinnon scoffed, "If I did, I'd be sick on the floor."

"For Merlin sake, why do you have to spoil the mood?!"

Lily was thankful for Marlene in that moment. She didn't want to think about what James meant and she didn't want to feel what it meant. All she knew was that it was just another thing to push down into the abyss of her self-conscience, hoping that it would never resurface, for the creature growing inside her wanted it badly.

The Charms classroom was located on the third floor. It was a large room where three rows of desks all faced the teacher's table, which was elevated for Professor Flitwick to stand. A tall pair of decorative windows, placed high on the wall, let the light flood into the students eyes at all times of the day. It wasn't overly decorated, like the Divination classroom was, but its simplicity was warming to Lily's nonchalant nature.

Lily sat in the middle row, encumbered by her three girl friends, while the boys sat behind them. With the exception of Peter, who didn't pass his Charms O.W.L to continue on with the N.E.W.T.. Their fellow classmates, from the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff House, greeted each other before the lesson began. The class began promptly as the Professor walked onto his stage. Professor Flitwick, though small in stature, was an excellently powerful Charm master. He had a very gentle spirit and would never raise his voice to anyone, even though Lily wished he did to a certain two classmates that were sitting behind her.

"Welcome back!" He smiled, from ear to ear. "As you already know, you will be getting extra lessons after school. Myself and your Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Scamander, will be teaching you, in our specialised fields, the appropriate spells. Luckily for you, being seventh years, you know many spells that will be helpful for you. In your seventh year of school, you will be covering all the spells a sixth year will be trying to accomplish in their after class lessons, therefor, Professor Scamander and I have both agreed that you should be trained in higher level skills, ones that are taught in the Auror programme and ones that you can't full prepare for, such as how to duel effectively, in your after school lessons."

A drone of various elations filled the room when Flitwick finished. Lily heard her friends excitement in their whispered breaths at the idea of taking part in some sort of Auror training, more so than they were yesterday at the idea of a Patronus Charm.

The Professor began to speak again, causing everyone to go quite. "You will be having me tomorrow evening for your first lesson in the Patronus Charm, ergo, today we are going to start on the theory and understanding of it so that we are prepared for the practical tomorrow.

'Now, a Patronus Charm is difficult, and many witches and wizards are unable to produce a full, corporeal Patronus. To cast one, one must muster the happiest memory they can think of and begin drawing circles with their wand to-"

"Psst." She heard James hiss behind her and then a tap on the shoulder.

Without turning, she reached for his hand to find a piece of parchment. She unfolded it, quietly, to see his scrawl of handwriting and a long line of little _x_ 's.

 ** _Potter, I'm trying to listen to Flitwick._ ** She wrote back and used _Wingardium Leviosa_ to send the small note back to him, over her shoulder. In haste, she tried to recap on what the Professor had just said, so that she could take notes, but all she heard was the end of the sentence. "…but you will never truly know what form your Patronus will take until you succeed in conjuring it."

"Psst." She heard and the parchment fell on her lap.

 _What do the x's mean?_

 ** _They are kisses._** Lily was about to send it back when she immediately thought why James would be asking her this. **_Don't get yourself worked up, Potter. Muggles put kisses on the end of everything._**

"…A Patronus' form, however, can change if the caster goes through an emotional upheaval of some sort, including falling in eternal, unchanging love.…"

 _xxx - JP_

Lily had, by then, lost three quarters of the lessons theory with James' idiotic notes. She just crumbled that one up and shoved it into her leather satchel. It was to make a point that that was the last note of the lesson and, thankfully, the message was received because they didn't correspond until the bell rang and they had to walk to their next lesson, a single period of Transfiguration.

"Are you kidding me, Potter?" She barked, hitting him in the arm. "Why couldn't you have asked me after class?"

"Professor Flitwick just said the words out of a book." James glared.

"I could of missed something important. I didn't get a chance to write many notes."

"Here, take mine." He said, going through his bag and passed the notes to her. James exhaled before smirking. "I'm definitely coming over for Christmas and there is nothing you can do about it, Evans."

"Did my mom write to you to invite you to Christmas?"

"No, but it's only a matter of time." He winked.

"What did she write to you about then?"

"Do you trust me?"

Lily was thrown back by this response. "Only when you're being serious."

"No, I'm James. That over their is Sirius."

She laughed and hit him in the arm, again. "See what I mean?! I don't think we've ever had a genuine, real conversation. We are either bickering or you're trying to be funny by winding me up."

"Are you kidding me, Evans?" James asked, irate. "Yes, I tease you, like I do with everyone else. But never have I _ever_ been dishonest with you, in _any_ of our conversation, arguing or not, for them to be _fake_ and _unreal_."

He didn't wait for a response.

"What was that all about?" She heard Mary ask, again in the same questioning voice.

Lily shrugged and followed the rest of their class, down the stairs, to the Transfiguration classroom.

He didn't speak to her for the rest of the day. During Transfiguration, Herbology and Lunch, the Marauders situated themselves far away from the girls. Lily didn't try to reconcile the issue, even though she knew herself and Potter were having a chat with Dumbledore later. Perhaps when the two walk into the Headmasters office in bad spirits, Dumbledore will realise the two of them cannot work together.

None of the Marauders spoke to her either. Remus, the only one to take a N.E.W.T in History of Magic, didn't talk to her, neither did the other two when waiting outside for the Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson. James had either told them not to talk to her or they agreed with him. Mary wasn't talking to her, either.

"Why's MacDonald giving me the cold shoulder?" Lily asked Marlene as they sat down together, with Mary and Emmeline sitting on the next desk over, to the right.

"She's giving everyone it. I've just had a double free period with her and she just stayed in the girls' bathroom. The one with Moaning Myrtle in."

"Is she alright?"

"She knew Sirius was dating Abercrombie before anyone else did and she seemed alright about it last night."

"He's dating Fenella?" Lily gasped.

"Yeah. She asked him, or he asked her, yesterday on the train before he even knew about Mary's feelings. So we can't really blame Black for this, and I know Mary doesn't either."

Lily sighed, feeling sorry for her friend.

"I think it just got to her today with all the gossip spreading around about it." McKinnon continued.

"How come I've only just heard about it?"

"You've been with Emmy all day. No one talks to her but us lot."

"How did you find out?"

"People like to tell me things, Evans."

"You spread the gossip?"

"No," Marlene said, unconvincingly. "I just helped it move along."

Lily wasn't surprised by McKinnon's involvement. Marlene was a popular, and very observant, student.

The lesson started the same way as Charms had. Professor Thesus Scamander, an ex Auror who had been the Defence Against the Darks Arts teacher for a few years, spoke about the after class lessons and what they might entail. He didn't speak too much about the small amount of Auror trainer they would be learning, but more on the Patronus'. In his after school lessons with the Patronus, he'd be bringing in a Bogart, that was fixed as being a Dementor, so that the students could fully create a Corporeal when in danger.

As they knuckled down on their task of revising the characteristics of a Dementor and a Bogart, Marlene continued on with their conversation. "Fenella was practically screaming from the top of her lungs about it at break. Probably so Sophia Dippet could hear it, and anyone else who's got a crush on or has dated Black." She said, quietly and detestably. "I'm surprised you didn't hear about it."

"I've been a little bit preoccupied." Lily sighed, looking at the back of James' messy hair, unintentionally.

"Do something about it then."

"Like what?"

"I don't know - do something Potter would do."

"I'm not going to make a fool of myself."

Marlene shrugged.

Lily had to admit, McKinnon was right. She had made a fool of him, so in return so should she. It was the most Potter reasoning there was. Swiftly, she tore a piece of parchment and wrote a little note to James.

"You're going to send that to him?" Marlene asked, clearly having read the memo.

"I'm just sending back what he wrote to me." Lily replied, honestly, and folded the small note, perfectly. Quietly, she casted, " _Wingardium Leviosa."_

Patiently, she watched the paper float over to its destination. It landed, gracefully, onto the parchment he was writing on and he opened it. James turned around to face her, nodded with a bright smile and placed it into his trouser pocket.

Smiling, Lily went back to her paper to finish writing about the atmospheric changes a Dementor warrants, but a different note had just glided onto her table.

 _What was that about? - MM_

 ** _I swear to Merlin, I'm gonna shove that phrase up your arse, Mary. - LE_**

 _What did you write for him to smile so lovingly at you?_

 ** _Just 'xxx - Lily Evans'_**

There was a squeal to the right of Lily. "MacDonald, is everything alright?" Professor Scamander inquired.

"Oh, yes." Mary blushed, still holding the note. "Sorry, Professor."

Mary looked at Lily with a knowing stare and a huge grin on her face, an expression Lily knew to mean meddling and a bombardment of annoying questions were going to be pursued once the two of them could talk.

As predicted, after the final bell had rung, the questions didn't stop coming out of Mary's mouth for Lily to even respond. All the way down for dinner, Lily tried to ignore the constant interrogation until it all got too much and had to say, "Mary, if you're want an answer, you need to shut up."

Mary glared through her long eyelashes as she sat down opposite Lily, at the dining table, "Why you sending kisses to Potter?"

"It doesn't mean anything, MacDonald. It's just x's on a piece of paper."

"'It doesn't mean anything' my arse, Evans." She scowled. "If it didn't mean anything, then why did he turn around? If it didn't mean anything, then why did you write it? When are you going to cut the emotionless bullshit and just admit that-"

"Evening." James said, sitting down next to Lily. It made her feel a bit awkward and uncomfortable after Mary's rant. He must have sensed the tension at the table. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes." Mary and Lily commented, in unison, both extremely irritated by the other.

"Move over, Prongs." Sirius laughed, pushing James over so he could sit by Lily.

"Shouldn't you be sitting with your new girlfriend?" Lily asked, gloomy, and picked up her plate for some roast chicken.

"She doesn't own me."

Lily glanced down the table to see a seething Fenella Abercrombie. "She doesn't look too happy with you sitting next to me."

"If girls can't deal with us being friends, Evans, then they aren't the right girls for me." He smiled, nudging her in the arm to make her smile. It worked. "I'll have to cut back on the kisses, though. I am a taken man, now."

"Oh, what ever will I do without your tender lips?" She teased, sarcastically.

"Maybe Prongs can give you some."

Lily glared at him and Mary glared at her as if saying, _'Even Sirius knows it."_

The rest of the evening's dinner was awkward and Lily left the table first, without even eating a slice of pudding. She, resentfully, made her way to her room to start copying Potter's notes from Charms. Vance's black cat, Pepper, and Cressida's ragdoll cat, Reeves, were lounging on her bed when she entered her room. They both _meow_ ed at her the closer she got to them. "How did you guys get in here?" She asked them and picked them up off her bed.

She had finished her copying in a half hour and was playing with an old quill feather to amuse the two cats. It was quite therapeutic to just enjoy a creature enjoying a simple game. It made Lily want a cat. It, also, made her realise that her friends were just playing games with her, games she didn't like but it wasn't harmful, and maybe, she did need to be more emotional. Yet, with how the world was turning at the moment, she knew if she began to feel, even the tiniest amount would make her crumble under the pain.

There was a light knock at her door, waking her out of daydreaming. Lily went to open it and found a messy haired boy in front of her. "How the hell have you managed to get up the stairs?" She said, astonished that the stairs hadn't turned into a slide.

"Come on, Evans. I know all the tricks of the castle." He smiled, cockily. The two cats purred around James' legs before scampering off down the stairs to their 'mothers' dorm room. "Why are you cooped up here with two cats? You turning into a crazy old lady?"

"No. I was copying your notes." She glared, going back into her room to fetch the parchment from her bed. "Here."

"Thanks."

"What do you want, Potter?"

"We have Dumbledore's appointment."

"I thought that didn't start till…." Lily started and looked at her watch. In a mad panic, she picked up her wand, from the bed, and shut the door behind herself. "We've got ten minutes. Move."

"Shall we take the slide, Lily?" James laughed and took her hand as he stepped onto the nearest step.

 _(Toasted Teacakes)_

"So," Lily began as they walked, side by side, to the Headmaster's office. It had been quiet since they had slid down the stairs-turned-slide and the laughter had stopped. They had reached the gargoyle corridor before Lily uttered the word. She wanted to clear the air before having the meeting with Dumbledore. "I want to apologise…"

"No, I should apologise." James interrupted, "I was pushing the joke too far. With everything going on, I should have been more respectful of your situation with your parents."

"I shouldn't have lashed out the way I did. I didn't mean it."

"We should make a packed then."

"What do you have in mind?"

"We shouldn't talk to each other if we haven't got anything nice to say."

Lily giggled, "Didn't I say that to you back in fourth year?"

"You didn't speak to me for half that year." James smiled.

"Best six months of my life."

"If that was true, why did you speak to me first?"

"You let that stupid stolen Snitch loose in the common room. I hope you gave it back."

"I've still got it." He winked, patting his trouser pocket.

"You don't even play Seeker."

"I'd look stupid if I walked around with a Quaffle."

Lily laughed, again, imagining how stupid, and obvious, he'd look. She shook her head and changed the topic to a more serious one. "We need to sort out prefect duties and have a meeting with them sometime this week."

"Can you do it, the sorting out the duties, this week?" James asked. Before she got chance to scold him, James must have sensed it and, quickly, continued his train of thought. "McGonagall still can't get it out her mind that we need tryouts for the team. I don't have time to do that, work, helping Moony tonight and other Head Boy duty's."

"Fine."

"And after the tryouts are done, everything will be sorted."

"But what about when you having to do training?"

He took a long pause, contemplating before shrugging. "We'll figure something out."

The griffon gargoyle, that hide the Headmaster's office, loomed over them. Lily spoke the password, loud and clearly, "Toasted Teacakes." and it started to spin, moving upwards as a spiral staircase emerged from the the ground. James, and herself, stepped onto the two highest steps and began the ascent.

Dumbledore office was a beautiful circular room, that had high ceilings and a circular window, where Fawkes was perched looking out at the twilight scenery. A number of silver instruments were locked away in glass bookcase or cluttered on numerous spindle-legged tables. Previous headmasters and headmistresses, all of whom were chatting amongst themselves, lined the walls perfectly. In the centre back, there was an enormous, claw-fitted desk, and sitting behind it, was Dumbledore.

"Lily, James." Dumbledore smiled and got up out of his chair. "Please sit."

The Headmaster waited for the two of them to be seated before he spoke, handing them a box of sweets. "Toasted teacake? I've always preferred Muggle sweets; they are always simple. They don't try and hide everything under magic. Neither of you are allergic to coconut, I hope."

"Thanks." She said, taking one of them knowing exactly what they were.

James, on the other hand, tentatively places one in his mouth. "Not bad, Professor."

"Professor McGonagall informed me that you had already questioned her on why you don't have a younger student to look after, and she has told you that you, as a Head Boy and Head Girl, you must ensure that everyone else is safe before you are. Before we continue on with this conversation, you both are fully aware of what I am asking of you and are happy to do it?"

"Certainly, sir." Lily nodded.

"What she said."

"Good." Dumbledore smiled. His brilliant, soul-piercing blue eyes twinkled behind his half moon glasses.

"But, Professor, I wasn't even a Prefect." James commented. "What about Remus or any of the other seventh year Prefects?"

"I do not doubt Remus' abilities. He will not cower in the face of villainy but, unfortunately for your friend, he has too much worry of his own to deal with. I didn't want him to be burdened with this hardship and responsibility. And I fear, as Voldemort prays on the minds of Slytherins, anyone in that House cannot be completely trusted, unless they have proven themselves. You, James, are an extremely loyal, honest, selfless and virtuous young man who would do right by anyone. You fit the needs of a Head Boy in this very dark and difficult time."

"How will we know what to do if something happens? How will the other students know?" Lily asked, trying to work out how all of the students at Hogwarts will be able to flee to safety.

"The teachers and I know the protocols that are in place. You will be told these and I wish for you to tell all the Prefects and all the upperclassman who are getting the extracurricular lesson. Only those I have specified, I do not want the younger students to be worried at their time at Hogwarts. But on to more pressing and secretive matters."

"Sir, what about those who want to help protect Hogwarts? Those who want to fight?"

"These matters will all be told to you in due cause. Tonight, I have things to share with you that you must understand."

"What if he attacks right now?"

"Lily," Dumbledore began, calmly and collectively, the opposite to how Lily was reacting and feeling. "I can assure you, with the information that I am about to tell you, that Voldemort will not attack this school if I am the Headmaster of it."

Dumbledore seemed sure of himself with the knowledge he had so Lily held her tongue. His quiet confidence calmed her anxiety, somewhat. "What you are going to be told, tonight, is for your ears only."

The two Heads nodded.

"Now, what we must understand about Voldemort is that he is just a man. He was brought into this world by an abused women who used a potion to make a man fall in love with her. A person created by magic and without true, real love cannot perceive pure emotions and they will believe, that people who possess these feelings, are weak. Do not fear a person that cannot love, instead, you should pity them.

Tom Marvolo Riddle became an orphan very quickly after his birth. He understood, quite rapidly, that he was different but chose to use his newfound power to frighten the other children at the orphanage. When I first went to visit him…"

"Did you know, right there and then, that he was going to be Lord Voldemort, Professor?" James asked, intrigued by the story that was unfolding.

The Headmaster closed his eyes and rested his hands in front of him. "No, I did not see it, James. Tom is a very intelligent person and could act the model pupil. All of the teachers believed him to be the person he pretended to be but I never forgot the misdeeds he did at the orphanage nor his unsettlingly strange behaviour at our first meeting.

When arriving at Hogwarts, Tom became obsessed with figuring out who his parents were. He had assumed that his mother could not have been a witch because she had died, yet, when researching for his father's name in various Hogwarts records, he could not find anything to suggest his father had even attended Hogwarts. He donned the name Voldemort, shortly after finding out about his father, to spare himself the reminder of his muggle father."

"Voldemort is a half-blood?"

"Yes, Lily. His father was a muggle but his mother was a descendant of Salazar Slytherin. When Tom found out he came from such a pureblood elitist family, I believe his hatred for his father reached an incomprehensible amount and he couldn't not be brought back from darkness. His first, and closest, Death Eaters know he is a half-blood but after he killed his father, and he told them to do the same to their Muggle relatives, they took him in as one of their own."

Lily looked at the Professor gobsmacked. "I don't get it, sir."

"That's because you've never been alone to find a darkness within." Dumbledore smiled, "Tom was alone in the orphanage and is still alone because the Death Eaters to him are just pawns. He pursued those who were weak wanting protection; the ambitious who searched for glory; and the thuggish gravitated toward a leader who could show them more refined forms of cruelty. They believed him to be their leader because he wanted to take action on the pureblood supremacy that had been installed in them."

"What's the point in all this, Professor?"

"It's to enlighten you in how a man can transform into a monster. No person is born into this world evil, it is created. With the information you have, it can be used against him."

"How?" James questioned.

"Voldemort has hidden the biggest weapon against him, and now, you know it."

"His true self." Lily whispered, looking into Dumbledore's eyes.

"A name can be a powerful thing," The Headmaster nodded. "It can never be erased, even if you wish it to be forgotten."

James leant forward in his chair. "Say, hypothetically, there was a magical device that could see everybody in the castle. Would this invention show the name of Tom Riddle instead of Lord Voldemort?"

Dumbledore winked, relaxing a little in his chair.

"And what if this thing is a shared item?"

"It would be wise to tell the others the real name of Lord Voldemort."

James bobbed his head in understanding.

"It is getting late and a few of our friends need us on this night."

"Thank you, Professor." James stood, bowing a little bit to the Headmaster.

Lily followed suit with her farewells to the Headmaster and leaving the office, with James in front of her. "Are you going to tell them?" She whispered as they walked down the spiral staircase.

"You heard Dumbledore, Evans." James replied as he quickened up his speed when they reached the flat corridor. She found it hard to keep in pace with him as his long legs outstretched hers. "Are you going to tell your lot?"

"No, I'm going to keep it a secret. I don't think Mary could take it, at the moment."

"You should talk to her about it."

"James, I don't even know what to say to convince myself that everything is going to be fine, let alone someone else." Lily admitted, quietly.

He stopped just outside the Fat Lady and looked her straight in her green eyes. "Lily, you can always talk…"

"Prongs!" Sirius exhaled in relief as he saw his best friend from the other side of the, now opened, entrance way into Gryffindor tower. "We've got to go."

James looked at Lily one last time, contemplating what he should do, before agreeing with Sirius and fled down the stairs, without even a goodbye.

Lily smiled to herself and entered the Gryffindor common room. Her friends were gathered around the sofas nearest the fire. They all smiled and waved her over. "Evans, can you believe I had to kick some first years off these seats?" Marlene proclaimed, glaring at a few first years who were now cowering in a corner. "These young people they've got no respect. No respect!"

"Maybe one of those could be your little buddy." Lily laughed, sitting down next to the fires hearth to receiving its beautifully warm embrace.

"Bloody hell, I hope not. I want a cool one."

"You get what you get, McKinnon." Emmeline said, not looking up from her History of Magic book.

"I don't get why you two continued on with that boring subject." She spitefully retorted. "I get why Lily continued with the subject, being a Muggle and find the magical world interesting, but you, Vance, how uncool do you want to be?"

"I should join the frog choir to make myself an even bigger nerd." Vance glared.

"We'd still love you anyway." Lily smiled. She noticed behind Marlene, who was the only one sitting on the sofa, that Mary and Cressida were talking in hushed voices. "What's going on there?"

"Probably plotting to castrate Black." McKinnon snickered. "Or turn Abercrombie into a toad."

"You said that she was okay with it?"

"The only valid explanation is that Cress has wiggled her way, and planted a revenge seed, into MacDonald's brain and made her see that Black shouldn't have treated them the way he has." Emmeline muttered, still engrossed in her book. "Something like that, at least."

"Should we warn him or Fenella?" Lily asked concerned as she knew the retaliation of Cressida Fleming.

"Nah, lets see how it plans out." Marlene smirked, looking over her shoulder at the plotting pair. "Neither of them are particularly good spell caster, or potion makers, so it could back fire onto them. Ha, that would be funnier."

"You are wicked, McKinnon."

"It's my best trait."

The laughter continued, exactly like last night, and most nights, in the Gryffindor common room. They were joined by Dearborn and Kirke, plus two other members of the Quidditch team, Sage Kelleen - a beautiful, black sixth year girl who played Seeker - and Richard 'Kingy' King, a lanky fifth year Keeper. Some of their friends joined too. The underclassman watched hoping to join in with the group. Lily would have offered for them to join but Marlene gave her a stern expression.

Mary MacDonald wasn't sighted for the rest of the night, presumably because Fenella Abercrombie had joined in on the group. "Do you think we should go find her?" Lily whispered to Emmeline.

"She'll be fine, Lily." Her friend replied confidently. "I think I saw her head up to the dorm room."

"I'll go check on her."

"No, don't." She shook her head. "Mary needs to realise things for herself. We can't be there to sugarcoat everything. She has to learn how to be strong."

Emmy was right. The three girls had protected her against upsetting information, after the incident with Mulciber. It was only, now, in that moment, did Lily realise the hurt she has caused her friend by trying to keep her delicate soul intact.

Lily said her goodnights to her fellow housemates and went to her own room. Upon becoming Head Girl, Lily had rejoiced at the idea of having her own room, yet as she stepped in, for the first time on her own, she realised how empty and quiet it would become. There was no chatting, no giggling, no arguing to noise out the deafening silence. She missed her friends and wished that they would move their beds up to this room because she didn't want to dwell on the feelings she was holding up, nor did she want the creature, that was stirring in her stomach and heart, to break free.

 **A/N: Thank you beautiful people who have read this. Please favourite, share, review this story. Don't worry I'm getting there with the other characters we are fond of, and those I'm creating personalities for.**


	4. Amortentia

**_A/N: I'm back again but with a different names. shortielocks was getting too young, madcon is similar to my actual name so I'm keeping it. I hope there is no confusion._**

 ** _I also hope I don't confuse anybody with where I'm at in the story. It's their seventh year. Unlike other stories, I'm stating this year off as the first time Voldemort has effected them and the war is now starting to seem real. There will be flashback eps. All three (relevant) Marauders have already been allocated chapters - maybe I'll do the girls too._**

 _Chapter 4 - 'Someone told me I girl I liked…" - Jake Bugg_

 _(Nurse Lily)_

The Hospital Wing was a cold and uninviting place. Lily found herself walking through the enormous oak doors as soon as the sun rose above the mountain tops. Some would wonder if she'd gone mad or turned into an insomniac but she had planned to enter the hospital wing early that morning.

The matron of Hogwarts, Madam Pomfrey, was potting about the room, in the far left corner, where the only cloth partition was pulled across. She didn't notice the Head Girl until Lily rounded the divider to see her friend in a deep slumber. "Miss Evans, what are you doing here?" The school nurse inquired, shocked.

"I've come to see Remus."

"He won't be awake for at least an or two hour, dear."

"It's a good thing I've come at six then." Lily smiled, sitting down at the chair beside the bed. Remus looked very peacefully and at rest. Even though the scaring on his face were a bright red, the colour of his skin was going back to his normal shade of pale. She had only seen him like this once before, and it pained her to see him like this once more. "Can I do anything to help him?"

"You just being here will be enough."

Madam Pomfrey kept working on Remus' injuries. She incanted various healing spells across his body causing him to whine in his sleep. Lily held his hand, at some point, which seemed to relax him as the matron continued her work. The scarring on his face had started to fade into a more subtle, but still obvious, colour by the time Madan Pomfrey finished.

Still holding his hand, Lily opened her bag and began reading her potions book from sixth year, as the book didn't need changing for seventh year. As she flicked through the pages, she ticked off, in her mind, the potions she had already learnt and she saw old squiggles of Severus'. She had almost forgot that Slughorn liked to pair to two together. With a sigh she agreed with herself to be civil to Snape because she had to trust him to do the right thing when the time came.

Her mind then wondered onto the Prefect duties. The best time to have a meeting would be tomorrow for it gave her enough time to sort everything out. Carefully, she reached into her bag and found the timetabled parchment she'd acquired from the Prefect's Meeting Room, earlier that morning.

It wasn't until the clock tower bonged seven thirty did Remus wake. "Lily?" He speak quietly and sleepily. "What are you doing here?"

"Go back to sleep. You need your rest." Lily smiled, squeezing his hand and not looking up from her sheet.

"You shouldn't be here."

"Would you believe me if I said you were dreaming?"

Remus laughed and then winced in pain. "Are you doing the duties?"

"Yeah, I've already done half of it."

"James told me and I can help, if you want."

"I can't believe him." Lily looked at him, quite irritated. "It's not your job. I can manage on my own. It's just putting names together."

"Gore and Fawley broke up over the summer."

Lily scribbled that pairing out. She'd tried to pair prefects together who weren't the same gender or in the same House or year, except for Slytherin. "I'm going to put you with Leonora and I'll be with him. Anybody else I should know about?"

Remus hesitated, pondering. "I don't think it would be wise for you to be with him."

"Mooney, are you talking to yourse—" Sirius began to ask, with a humorous in his tone, but when he saw Lily he stopped and looked at her quizzically. "Lily, what you doing?"

James and Peter rounded the corner and asked her the same thing.

"Trying to sort out the Prefect schedule's."

"Who am I with?" James asked, trying to peer at the parchment from the other side of the bed.

"Miraphora Mina." She replied looking down the list of pairs. All of the Marauders, except Lupin, looked at her as if they had no idea who the girl was. "She's a sixth year Hufflepuff…Likes Ancient Runes…Arty."

"Is she the girl who always has charcoal or ink on her face?"

Lily nodded. "It was either her or Sylvia Jones and I didn't think you'd want to be talking to the seeker of the opposition."

James grumbled under his breath agreeing with her decision. The Gryffindor Captain had a strange relationship with any player of the opposition. He'd be his usual self to them, joking and jovial, but he'd _physically_ choose to not speak to them, just incase a game strategy was revealed. "Who are you with?"

"Eustace Faw—."

"Seriously?! Why are you with him? Mooney, why didn't you say anything?"

"I was about to and then you walked in." Lupin muttered.

"What's a matter with Eustace?"

Potter held his tongue trying to figure out the best way to play this without sounding possessive.

"Get over it, Prongs." Sirius said, mischievously and fed up of waiting for his best friend to say something. "Thats beside the point, what are you doing _here_ , Evans?"

"I thought I'd come watch over Remus." Lily replied, honestly.

"Isn't that what Pomfrey's for?" Peter inquired.

"This is the only way I can be here for him."

"What does that mean?" James said, confused.

"I'm not an animagus like you guys. I can't help Remus when he's transformed but I can help, and be there for him, afterwards. That's what friends do." Lily muttered. The guys looked at her puzzled.

Remus spoke first. "Lily you don't have—"

"Yes, I do." She said determinedly and authoritative, looking in Remus' eyes. "This is my way of showing you, you are no different to me now that I know what you are. You are still my friend and I still love you." She heard Sirius snicker behind her, so she stood up and turned to face him with a fierce expression. "Shouldn't you guys be getting sleep?"

"We've had like two hours, we're good." Sirius brushed it off. "Is holding his hand part of the helping?"

"It's just something you do to comfort someone in hospital." Lily replied, smiling.

"Maybe we should injure ourselves, ay Prongs, and then we'd get nurse Lily."

"Wouldn't you want your girlfriend?" She glared at him.

"Eh."

"Already bored, Padfoot?" Peter asked, snickering.

Lily exploded, thinking of Mary. "Are you fucking kidding me, Black?! Let's be honest, you could have had anybody in Hogwarts — don't look so smug, Sirius — but you pick a girl you, obviously, had no idea about. It's been two days and have you even given her a chance? Why are you dating her in the first place?"

"Er, because she's attractive."

"Clearly not that attractive to keep you interested."

"What do you want me to do, Evans?"

Lily exhaled, feeling the heat from her face subside. "Invite Fenella to join us for breakfast, lunch, dinner or all three. At the moment, she's probably trying to keep you interested by complimenting you all the time and being _pretty._ You've got to try to get to know her."

"What if I don't want to?"

"Then I swear to Merlin, I will join the ' _Black is the scum of the Earth'_ club and help them do whatever they want."

"Is it a girls exclusive club or can anyone join?" Remus smiled, trying to relive the tension.

( _Straightening Mary Out_ )

Madam Pomfrey soon ushered the 'healthy' out of the Hospital Wing, after Lily lost her temper, because they were disturbing the patient. It was a quiet walk down to the Great Hall for the four of them. Sirius hadn't spoken to Lily since she had 'threatened' him and she didn't see why she needed to apologise for speaking her mind.

As soon as they entered the busy hall, Sirius sat down next to Fenella, grumbling under his breath. She seemed worried that he was late and quickly added toast and other breakfast items onto his plate. Lily couldn't help but smile at how cute they looked, and to herself for making it happen. James and Peter both joined Sirius at his new group. All the other sixth year girls, except Sage Kelleen, adjusted their posture and flirtatiously flipped their hair. The monster inside Lily grumbled in anger at the sight of this but she just thought it was a hunger pain and continued to walk down the table towards her girl friends.

"You've had mail." Mary said in an irritable mood. Cressida, and Harriet, were sitting next to the blonde happily chatting away to a McKinnon, who was more interested in her cereal, and a Vance, who had her nose pressed against a book.

Lily took the letter from her friends hand and saw her name scribbled in her mothers handwriting. "Thank you," The redhead sighed, feeling relieved at just seeing the envelope. It didn't matter what was written inside because just a sent letter meant that her family were alive.

"Ah, Lily." Fleming said, "You're good at potions, right?"

Evans nodded, wirily. Cressida and Mary, plus Harriet, were the only seventh year Gryffindor girls to not take Potions N.E.W.T..

"Have you ever made a love potion?"

Lily had fully expected one of the ' _Black is the scum of the Earth'_ group to suggest a love potion. She couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Cress smiled, falsely. "We can't all have our one true love at our beck and call. Some of us have to…"

"Forcing someone to love you isn't right. It's idiotic and dangerous." Lily whispered, aggressively. "If he found out, do you think he'd want to be your friend anymore? Do you think he'd want to be anywhere near you?"

"I told you _she_ wouldn't understand." Cress glared.

"Maybe if you opened your eyes, Flem, you'd see there are other people than Black. And if you are so set on him, which one of you is getting him?"

The two coconspirators looked at each other as if they hadn't figured it out, but behind both of their eyes it was obvious they had both thought of a plan to get rid of the other girl, if needed.

Lily looked at her one of her closest friends and said, straight into her eyes. "There are other ways to get a guy than altering his, or his current girlfriend's, mind or body to get what you want."

"What do you suggest?"

"Keep talking to him like nothing has happened. Keep being his support so he knows who to turn to when things go south. Make him jealous - you've still got that Ravenclaw bloke….Patience."

"Not all of us have time on our side." Cress scoffed, getting up from her seat. "I'll see you losers later. Green."

They didn't leave the Great Hall. They sat down next to a happy Sirius and spoke to him as if they hadn't seen each other for months. Fenella, nor the other girls, seemed pleased by the blatantly obvious intruders. "Or you can seem desperate." Marlene snickered, as the four girls watched the fiasco happen.

"Do you guy's know why there is a matter with me being partnered up with Fawley?" Lily asked, as the group turned back to eat their breakfast.

"Because he fancies you." McKinnon said, in an obvious tone. "Who has a problem with it?"

"I'd guess Leonora does." Vance commented, looking for from her book.

Lily said, softly and contemplatively. "James didn't seem too happy."

( _The Rose Tinted Glasses Have Broken_ )

There was a loud high pitch noise that erupted in the Great Hall, causing the whole room to go silent. It came from further down the Gryffindor table. James looked to see Mary pulling Lily by the scruff of her shirt collar to begin a conversation in whispers. Vance and McKinnon joined in too. Lily looked confused and angry at whatever MacDonald was talking to her about.

When people realised that no one was in danger, the Hall filled up again with voices. "We were talking about Quidditch, Potter." Sage Kelleen inquired, nudging him in the arm to get him to face her again. She was very much the Marlene McKinnon of the sixth girls because she didn't really fit into place with the others but could tolerate them enough to be friendly with them. "I know McGonagall wants tryouts and I think we need to have a reserve on the seeker position."

"Why?" James asked quickly and authoritatively, "Where you going?"

"No where." She laughed. Her amber eyes sparkled with merriment. "Its just in case I get injured."

"If that's so, you can tryout and choose the seeker."

"Really?"

"Yes." He smiled and flung his arm over her shoulder. Sage laughed, again, and flattened down some of her baby hair that James had, accidentally, brushed out of style. "You know a seeker plays their own game on the pitch. I trust you because you could be Captain next year and you're the second best flyer in the school."

"Who's the first?"

"Me."

"What can I do to help?" Peter asked, who was the other side to James.

"You know what to do."

There had been an issue, a few years back, with Captains sending younger students, from their retrospective house, to spy on the opposition during training and tryouts. All the Captains did it but they never thought that it was happening to them, so when they all caught a house surveilling them, there was uproar. By the time James got to be Captain, there was a rule set in place to prevent any form of espionage. However, Peter's 'rattish' abilities can be useful for Quidditch. No one would expect a rat to be wizard. Did Potter feel guilty about the spying? No.

"I'm going to be there when you have Quidditch tryouts." Fenella smiled, sweetly at Sirius. Lily had once described Abercrombie as a muggle fairytale princess. James couldn't work out if being called ' _Snow White'_ was a good or bad thing, but remembering the tone of her voice, Evans wasn't too keen.

"We can come to," Fleming beamed and Harriet nodded. The two of them had been ignored for the whole of the time they'd sat down. James got on with both of them but he didn't appreciate what they were trying to do. He'd never fallen under the spell of Cressida's, nor had Black.

"I'm already on the team." He said, looking at Abercrombie. (This was the last straw for Cress. She stormed out of the Hall and soon joined arms with the first guy she saw at the door, knowing full well that his attention would be good enough, for the time being.) "You don't have to—"

"No, I'm coming." She said affirmatively. "I'd want you to be there when I'm performing."

"Oh yeah." Padfoot smirked. James could see a mischievous knowing in his friends eyes as he knew that she was falling into his paws. "What do you do?"

"I'm in the frog choir."

Sirius didn't smile after that. He hadn't smiled when he invited her to have dinner tonight with the rest of the group nor when she gave him a longing kiss before she had to leave for her first morning class.

"I'd have thought _that_ would have cheered you up, Padfoot." Wormtail snickered, watching the sixth year girls leave the Great Hall. "Or is she a bad kisser as well as a bore?"

"I'm dating the lamest person in the world." He moaned, hitting his head with his own palm. "For Merlin sake, the girl looks like she could be on the front of _Witch Weekly_."

"I don't think anybody knew about the frog choir thing." James said, trying not to laugh.

"There is no coming back from this discovery. Argh, I invited her to eat with us for dinner."

"If you don't want to see her later, get out of it."

"How?"

"I don't know," James shrugged. "Break up with her. Get a detention. Jump off the Astronomy tower."

"Would you mourn my passing?" Black asked, frowning up at James with his, irritating, puppy dog eyes.

Potter replied, deadpan. "No."

"Liar." Sirius pouted. "The only option is detention but we've done everything."

"Do one we've already done." Peter grinned, "They were always the best."

"You guys can't be seen though. I just need to get the blame."

"I think Lily would disapprove even more if you were dishonest to Fenella and leading her on." James said, assertively.

"So I'm going to have to be the bad guy anyway." Sirius sighed. "Is this how it feels after Evans' has had a go at you?"

Prongs nodded.

"Does that mean I'm in love with Lily Evans?" Sirius grinned, evilly. "Oh no, wait, I can't be because I would have told her why she couldn't have been partnered up with Fawley without getting tongue twisted."

"What was I supposed to do without sounding like a moron?"

"I'm sure the ridiculous questions helped." Padfoot snickered. He coughed twice and tried to imitate James with a high pitched voice. " _'OMG, Moons! Why didn't you stop her from writing a name down on a piece of paper that can easily be changed with ink?'"_

"That does sound like you, Prongs." Peter chortled, getting out of his seat ready for the lesson ahead.

(Pine Trees)

Lily waved to Mary as she made her way to the dungeons and MacDonald made her way to the Divination classroom. Emmeline strode next to Lily and said, "You don't have to pay attention to Mary."

"I know."

After Mary's squeal and a very hushed conversation, Lily only got two things out of it. 1) Eustace Fawley had a crush on Lily which people had become apparent about, and 2) she should swap her name with someone else's if she wanted something in the future. Those were Mary's exact words. Lily was, still, a little bit confused, and vague, on what the second point meant.

"Do you think I should change it?"

"Honestly, no." Vance pondered. "But if you don't, then Fawley might get the wrong idea."

"I don't want that."

"I'll change it then." Marlene smiled and grabbed Lily's satchel. McKinnon found the parchment and started to inspect the duties. "Now, lets see….Why are Slytherin the only house to be paired with each other?"

Lily sighed, "There's a lot of arguing otherwise."

"If you go with Snape, Remus can then be partnered with Finch, Gore can go with Peakes and, that then means, Fawley can be with Sophia Dippet." McKinnon said, confidently, and began scribbling this pairings down without a second opinion. "You're the only one that gets on with Snape and Remus will do anything to be helpful, and who doesn't love Dippet."

She sighed even harder. It was true. The past Head Boys and Girls had paired her up with Snape on several occasions because she _was_ the only one that gets on with him outside of the Slytherin house _._ She would discuss it with him outside, or during, the Potions lesson.

"Lily." Snape said as they came into view of each other. He didn't look great; his hair was longer and even more unkept, plus his skin looked whiter than ever. "I hope we can talk before class."

She nodded. Her two Gryffindor friends understood and walked ahead while herself and Snape stayed further back, walking at a slower pace. "There is to be a Prefect's meeting tomorrow night. Can you tell your House, and any other prefects you may see today, to meet up just after dinner?"

"Sure." He replied, seeming to relax.

"I was doing the schedule for the duties and, if we can both agree, I've put us down as a pair for this term."

Severus smiled. "I concur."

Lily nodded again. She was unsure on what to say to Severus now that professional matters were done with. They walked in an uncomfortable silence further into the dungeons and walked into the classroom together.

"Miss Evans. Mr Snape." Professor Slughorn delighted that his two favourite students were 'talking' to one another again. "You two know where to sit."

The fellow Slytherins weren't too happy by the reconciled pairing. Some whispered to Snape, in inaudible murmurs, as he walked past. Lily tried not to look at her friends either for she knew they had the same reaction to the Slytherin House. Her usual table was situated in the middle and the nearest to the ingredients cabinet. The other three students, who also occupied the table, and Snape were all seated and ready for the lesson before Lily even got her book out.

At the front of the classroom, there were a variety of cauldrons bubbling. It was a teaching method most loved by the Professor as he could show off his potion making skills and to inform his students of the potions they'd be making in the year. When the class begins, Slughorn will inevitable produce a vile of some potion to give to the lucky winner of the day.

"Class." He clapped, smiling at his seventh year students. "If you could all walk to the cauldrons."

The class obeyed the orders and proceeded to edge closer. The strong smell three simultaneous smells wafted to her unsuspecting nostrils: treacle tart, old books and a faint smell that reminded her of the forest. Lily couldn't help but recall breakfast and smiled a little. "Professor, we've already looked at _Amortentia._ "

"You've looked at it but you haven't made it. Unless you have in your free time." Slughorn tittered. "Miss Evans is correct. There is a _Amortentia_ potion on the table and you will be starting to make one today. As you already know it has a mother of pearl sheen and it has an aroma that is unique to the one smelling it. Would anyone be kind enough to say what they smell? Mr Potter, how about you?"

"Erm," The Head Boy began, breathing in the deeply for his own unique smells. "I smell the wood of a broomstick, treacle tart and—", James stopped and inhaled some more before twitching his neck, an indication of lying, "—and pine trees."

Pine trees. Her third smell was pine trees. It was clear now. She could imagine herself prancing through the woods on a cool morning, the morning dew had just lifted giving rise to the smell of the pine trees. The monster inside of her shifted and pushed her towards James, recognising the scent. She stumbled a little bit. Sirius seemed to have noticed and smiled at her, knowingly.

Lily didn't pay attention to the following three potions. She was too worried about what the last smell meant.

"Miss Evans, are you okay?" asked Professor Slughorn.

Everyone looked at her. She could feel redness spread across her face. "Yes, sir."

"Good. Now, everyone, the _Amortentia_ will not be completed by the time this lesson finishes. It needs to rest and mature. We are going to create only half of what the recipe suggests so that by tomorrow's lesson we will find out who's won, and what they will win." The Professor stated. "As this is a very strong love potion, I do not want this potion to leave this room to be used upon anybody - there can be nasty side effects to even the most perfect potion. Class, lets begin."

"Are you sure you alright?" Snape asked, when they reached their table.

She nodded.

Evans opened her book to the correct page and reread the potion. She had read it many times last year. She knew all of the ingredients off by heart and had used them all before in different potions. Ashwinder eggs, rose thorns, moonstone and Pear Dust were in all love potions, but they were all very tricky to get correct as they were delicate ingredients. Lily opened the required jar for a fairy wing but had noticed that Snape had point in one and a half. "Why have you put in an extra half? We're trying to make the recipe smaller."

"It's alright. It's only fairy wings."

"I don't think you should be experimenting on this potion, Sev."

"The making of the potion is the easiest part." Snape commented, self-assured. Lily had to admit, from just looking at the instruction closely, that it was one of the easiest ones to make for a potion to be in an advanced potions book.

"What makes it hard then?"

"Did you not hear what Slughorn said?"

"I blanked out." She said honestly. "I don't even know what were in the other cauldrons."

Severus hesitated for a minute. She could tell her was purposely not looking at her when he spoke. "At each stage, of the ingredients being added and mixed, the colour will change dependent on how much the maker is loved by friends and family or how much the maker loves them. It's only at the maturing stage will it be obvious who is in pure, true love because the potion will have its mother of pearl characteristic."

"Does the maker have to know that they are in love for it to work?"

"No. It's like the Patronus. The potion will represent the makers true feelings, even if they are hidden and unknown."

Lily wasn't too sure on how to respond to this news. She didn't want to see her _Amortentia_ perfect, in tomorrow's class, because that would mean she was in love with someone. The monster inside curled around her heart at the thought. But her brain was having none of it. How was she supposed to decipher who her love interest was?

The room became quiet near the end of the lessons. Lily added a few drips of morning dew and honeywater before stirring the liquid four times clockwise to three times anticlockwise. She watched it change from a crystal clear solution to an iridescent shimmer. It started to smell intoxicating.

"Don't forget the unicorn hair." Snape muttered, next to her. "You can't put it in if the potions been over mixed."

She did as he said.

"Class, you have five minutes left." Slughorn said. "You should now be placing into your cauldrons the cut lovage and star grass, in the correct order. When you believe you are finished, pour your potions into a small vial and place them on my desk, with your names on."

Lily did as the Professor instructed. She'd finely chopped the leaves of both plants and carefully sprinkled them, in a constant circle, into the cauldron. The book hadn't suggested this but, Lily had found, aeration of plant ingredients helps with flavour.

When she believed the potion was finished, she cautiously filled a small vial, wrote her name on a brown label and wrapped it, precisely, around the neck of the bottle.

"Don't you just love the smell of the forest?" Sirius teased as he joined her at the Professor's table. "Especially pine trees."

"I don't know what you mean." Lily replied, unconvincingly.

"You can't fool these eyes, Evans. I saw you."

"So? I just lost my balance."

"Oh, Lily." He smiled. "We've got a lot of talking to do."

"I thought you weren't talking to me."

"I've always got time to help a damsel in distress."

"I'm not in distress."

"Matters of the heart, Lily dearest, can cause the worst suffering of all."

(Gryffindor Seventh Year Boys Dorm)

"What the hell did you say to her?" James asked, opening the door to his old room.

"I told her what you actually smelt." Sirius snickered, running into his room and belly flopping onto his comfy bed.

"He's lying, James." Marlene smiled, touched his arm and walked into the room to sit on the floor next to Sirius. It was after break and they were only ones who had a free period; Mary and Peter also had the same free period but they were both else where at the present time. McKinnon was often found in the boys dormitory, when the other girls still had lessons or were busy elsewhere in the castle. To begin with it was because she was bored with being on her own, then it was due to her being part of the Quidditch team and then, for the last two years, it was to be the informant of the workings of Lily Evans. "Does your room get worse every year?"

"It's Remus," Black smiled, leaning his head on her shoulder. "He's so unorganised and messy."

Potter sat down, opposite the other two, and rested against Remus' bed. "What did you say to her?"

"Nothing much." His best friend replied. He had rolled onto his back and looked at James upside down trying to figure out what to say. "I just joked with her."

"About?"

"Pine trees."

"Pine trees?"

"Someone in the class smelt it and it wasn't you."

Marlene whipped her head to stare at Sirius. She too had noticed Lily's stagger. Both of them had gossiped, for years, about how Lily felt towards James and, during the summer holidays and just before breaking up for the summer, they had seen a change in Evans that made their predictions come to light. Neither of them wanted to lead James on unless they were positively certain, for they knew, Lily didn't even suspect her own feelings yet. "Don't." Marlene mouthed, knowing full well that Black was about to break that promise.

His grey eyes shimmered with knowledge. Sirius looked back at James and smiled, evilly. "Oh, how wonderfully aromatic a lily is; I don't think I'd get that mixed up with a forest."

"Don't be a prick, Padfoot" James glared. "It would have been too obvious if I said what I actually smelt."

"Would that have been a bad thing?"

"Yes, it would be a terrible thing. I'd be back to square one." Prongs sighed, "I don't know if I could do it all over again. I'd have to be a bachelor forever with you, Pads."

"You say it likes its a bad thing." Sirius laughed.

Marlene looked at James, carefully thinking over her words. "What if Lily makes a true _Amortentia_?"

"It just proves that she loves someone. Doesn't mean its me."

"Are you fucking stupid, Prongs?" Sirius snapped and stood up on his bed.

"Sirius, no." Marlene whispered.

He didn't listen. "Of course it means she does. Who else could it be? She doesn't hang around with anybody but us lot, and it's certainly not me. Marlene and me—"

"Don't bring me into this, Black."

"—and I'm sure Mary and the other see it, that the two of you are becoming inseparable. You freaked out after she said you guys were friends. For fucks sake, she sent you a note yesterday with bloody _kisses_ on it. Merlin, you even know where to find each other without even looking at the stupid map."

"Hey, don't insult the map." James said, abruptly.

"Hey." Sirius said, louder. "Don't get off topic and _don't_ pretend you haven't noticed these things either. I've seen those secretive smiles you do."

"I don't have secret smiles."

"Bullshit."

Marlene laughed, "You two are ridiculous. James, listen, Sirius is right. We have noticed that Lily has changed the way she is around you and, if her potions changes tomorrow, it has to be because of you."

Potter began to speak but his brain had only just started to process the information. As soon as he realised what _it_ would mean, he started to splutter out random, nonsensical words.

"I think we've broken him." Sirius commented and got off his bed to give his best friend a shove. "Snap out of it, you idiot. So what if she loves you?"

"But you can't push her." Marlene pointed out. "If you want to work things out with Lily you need her to realise it on her own and let her sort it out."

"But you can't be ignoring her either."

"And you've got to try not to bicker."

"McKinnon, thats like telling them they can't breathe. Do you think we should _obliviate_ what we've just told him?"

"I didn't want to tell him in the first place."

"It's okay, it's okay." James sighed, pushing Sirius into a seating position next to him. "I'm glad you've told me."

"Lily, at the moment, is pushing everything down, including her feelings for you." Marlene began, calmly. "You can't bring anything up and you can't pester her about it. You've just got to be yourself."

"That's worked well in the past." Potter exhaled, resting his head on his hand.

"It's working at the moment." Sirius grinned and sat down next to his friend in a reassuring manner.

The three of them sat in silence for a few minutes. It wasn't awkward or deafening; it was pleasant and humbling. "What shall we do about my problem?" Sirius muttered, resting his head backwards onto the mattress.

James joined him and turned his face to see worry in his best friends eyes. "The gentlemanly thing to do would be to break up with her."

"You're going to break up with Abercrombie?" Marlene asked, irritably.

"Don't start, Mar. I've already had it off Lily this morning."

"Why do you want to break up with her?"

"She's part of the frog choir."

McKinnon roared with laughter. Tears were streaming down her face before she could try to speak. "Is she one of the losers at the back or is she one of the losers that holds a frog? Ha, who cares they are all bad options. Black, you've got to break up with her."

( _To my youngest flower_ )

History of Magic class finished ten minutes later than its supposed to. Lily and Emmeline exited the room together but parted ways at the stairs. Vance was heading off to start the homework Professor Binns had just set, while Evans was wondering to her usual bench to read her letter. Her spot was on the Charms corridor and was the nearest one to the staircase, on the east side. She can't remember the first time she sat there but it has become a place of sanctity for her.

By the time she got to her bench, the corridor was quiet and peaceful. That was until she rounded the corner and saw someone sitting at her bench. "You're late, Evans." Potter said as he spotted her walking over to him.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, sitting next to him. The creature inside of her growled at the closeness of the two of them. To be honest, she didn't mind him being here. When he first found out this was her favourite space, no thanks to that map, he would constantly be there pestering her and wearing her down to letting him nap on her lap. Now, it was quite a pleasant welcoming. Nonetheless, she was still conscience of him and what he could do unexpectedly.

He replied, honestly. "I've come to distract you."

"Why did you lie about the third smell?" Lily questioned as she rummaged through her bag to find the letter her mother had written.

"I didn't."

"I saw your neck twitch. That's one of your give aways, Potter."

"So what if I lied? I like the smell of pine trees."

"Why?"

"It reminds me of being a stag."

"No, I got that part." She laughed. "Why lie in the first place?"

"A man has to keep some secrets." He winked. "What did you smell?"

"A lady has to keep some secrets." Lily glared and found her letter. "Don't you have to somewhere else to be."

"Is that a letter from your mom?" James asked, clearly ignoring what she said.

She nodded and replied back sarcastically. "I thought I'd let you read it first."

"No, its cool. I'll just have a nap." He yawned and lay down next to her, his head resting on her leg.

Lily huffed in annoyance but opened the letter anyway and began to read:

 _To my youngest flower,_

 _I am sorry for the late response but there is no need to send your owl back with your vengeance. We've had to bandage up your poor father's arm after Inch clawed it to death. You and that bird are a bad influence on each other._

 _The letter to James was written on the way back home from London and was picked up by Inch before we even knew he'd been in the house. He must have believed that it was your letter. I hope you don't mind me sending him one. (I've also been sending your friend, Remus, letters too.) Your father and I didn't get chance to know James after you ran off, which is why I wrote him the letter. We do not appreciate being pushed away, Lily. Are you embarrassed that your parents aren't magical? We would like you to bring him over one day so that we can be better acquainted over a slice of treacle tart._

 _We are currently moving your sister into her new house, much to your fathers disapproval. "My daughter shouldn't be living in a house with an unmarried man". Drove me and your sister up the wall chuntering at himself about it. It's 1977 for Christ sake, it's the normal thing to do, and it's not like they aren't getting married soon. So we are staying in their new house - 4 Privet Drive, Surrey - for a week to help out. Lily, Surrey, can you believe it. Your father isn't happy with the distance but Surrey! Petunia is going to have such a wonderful life where she doesn't have to worry about money._

 _I hope you are enjoying your time at school, Lily. I can't wait to hear about it._

 _Love you lots, Jelly Tots._

 _Mom & Dad_

 _xxxxxxxxxx_

It wasn't an overly long letter which she had to admit upset her. Or was her sadness due to Lily not knowing that her sister's wedding was _soon_. Petunia had been engaged to Vernon for over a year, Lily had gone to the party, but she didn't realise they had set a date. She hadn't been told. Lily reread the part over and over again to make sure she hadn't missed a date or even an invite, but there was none. Petunia was getting married _soon_ and Lily, her sister, wasn't invited.

Hot tears started to prick her eyes as the information sunk in. In her head, the phrase _'You are not a part of your sisters wedding'_ kept repeating, like a broken record, and it stung. What was worse was her parents keeping it a secret from her and, clearly, not making an attempt to make Petunia invite her to the wedding. That's what hurt the most.

"Are you alright, Lily?" James asked, looking up at her.

"Yeah." She whispered, trying to keep back the tears. "I didn't mean to wake up."

He sat back up very swiftly and edged closer to her. He rested his left arm, on the back of the bench, behind her. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Lily was tempted to. James seemed caring and understanding but it scared her at the same time. He didn't need to know the problems she was facing and she didn't want to admit any time of feeling, because once it's said out loud the more real it becomes. Yet looking into his chocolate eyes, she felt a confidence to share this with him. "My sister is getting married."

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"It would be if I was invited." Lily mumbled, looking away from James. He didn't need to see the sadness in her eyes.

"You can always crash it."

She looked, once agin, into his eyes and laughed, halfheartedly. "I don't know the date."

Lily watched him carefully. James was looking at her strangely, as if he was holding back on something but, she saw, him change his mind instantly. She didn't even realise he was hugging her until she wrapped her arms around his neck and she was hugging him back.

A strange, but pleasant, feeling soothed her body as they stayed in each others arms. The monster inside walked all over her body at every place James touched her, as if taking in his smell and warmth. "I'm sorry." She heard him whisper to her. Lily couldn't help but nestle into the crook of his neck as his arms pulled her in closer, around the waist.

"Doesn't this look…repulsive?"

She slowly eased her way out of James' embrace and faced the person, her hand ready at her wand. "The same could be said when looking at you, Rabastan." Lily glared. She looked at the other members of the motley crew and saw the usual Slytherins who hung around with Lestrange. "And the same goes for your friends too."

"The mudblood thinks she's funny, eh?" Rosier smiled, "You won't be cracking jokes for long, Evans."

James jumped up from his seat and pointed his wand straight between Evan Rosier's eyes. "Apologise."

"I won't be taking orders from a filthy blood traitor either."

Lily carefully stood up and had her wand at her side. She was unsure on how James would play this out but wanted to be ready for what might happen. In her mind, she half casted a spell and was just waiting incase it needed to be used.

No one moved. James placed his free hand to his mouth, licked it and then, slowly, wiped it onto Rosier's face. "Wash that off." He said through gritted teeth.

" _Protego._ " Lily mumbled, pointing her wand between James and the other Slytherins, who were now seething at what had just happened. Out the corner of her eye, she could see Miller, a fifth year, raise his wand. He didn't get chance to use it because she incanted, in a whisper, " _Redactum Skullus."_

His head began to decrease in size. It gradually made him look like the Headless Horseman as his head shrunk below his shirt collar, causing him to scream in panic, in a very high pitched noise. It confused the other Slytherins at what was going on and they rushed over to help their 'fallen' comrade. Miller was making so much noise that students, who were being taught in the classrooms, were making their way out to see what all the ruckus was. Lily and James automatically saw this as their queue to leave and started to run away towards the Great Hall, hysterically laughing at the situation.

They'd reached the entrance to the Great Hall and rested against a wall, trying to get their breath back. "Where did you learn that spell from?" James smiled, looking down at her.

"Probably read it somewhere." She giggled, feeling the rush ebb a little but still loved the feeling it was spreading through her body. "Lunch?"

James nodded and pushed himself off the wall. "There's a little Marauder in you, Evans."

"Nah, I think you're rubbing off on me."

They sat down, next to each other, high up on the Gryffindor table. "There could be worser things."

Lily smiled, up at him. "True."

"Ergh, guys, stop having a moment." They heard Sirius groan and pushed the two of them apart by squeezing himself into the space. Marlene and Peter, who had walked in with Black, sat opposite. "Let your best friend in."

"You're not my—"

"I don't want to hear it, Evans. A man can only take so much heartbreak today."

She looked at him puzzled.

"I broke things off with Abercrombie." He stated, plainly. Lily was about to retort but he noticed this and began to speak again. "She's part of the frog choir, Lily, the frog choir. I had no choice. I knew I was going to break up with her so what was the point in keeping her hopes up? That would be most unfair to Fenella."

Lily glared at him, "I bet you feel awful. Poor Sirius, having to have dated a loser."

"It's alright," Sirius sniffed. "I'll get over it."

"Yeah, he's seeing Sophia Dippet later." Peter snickered and then realised he wasn't supposed to say anything because he got a punch from McKinnon. "Oops. Sorry, Padfoot."

"Why does everyone love Sophia _fucking_ Dippet?" Lily sighing, rhetorically. Of course everyone loved Sophia Dippet. She was the Cressida Fleming of the Ravenclaw house but with ash blonde hair and a better personality.

Her eyes wondered to the archway of the Hall and saw Mary flirtatiously talking to a Ravenclaw. Lily tapped Marlene to make her look at the scenario. They both smiled at each other because they knew why MacDonald was making a show of her new boyfriend - she had, obviously, listened to Lily's advice. Mary kissed him and walked over smiling to herself.

"I thought you were dating Bo—"

"Don't speak his name." Mary interrupted.

"Get over yourself." Marlene said. "Boot's best friend."

"Inglebee is. He's on the Quidditch team."

McKinnon laughed, "He's the worst player _ever_."

"Hang on." James said, having listened to the conversation. "Are you dating someone from the Ravenclaw team?"

Mary nodded.

"You can't sit with us."

"James!" Lily gasped, hitting him in the arm from behind Sirius. "You can't say that."

"Look at Boot." He retorted and glared over towards the Ravenclaw table. Everyone on the table followed orders and peered at the table. Inglebee had just sat by his Quidditch team mates and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. "He's practically jumping up and down at the thought of Inglebee having information on us."

"You're just paranoid, Potter. You don't tell Sirius off for seeing Sophia Dippet."

"You're dating Dippet now?" Mary asked, quietly to Sirius.

(Straightening Mary Out part. 2)

"You alright, Mary?" Lily asked as the girls entered her room.

Mary hadn't spoken much after Lily spilled the magic beans. Lunch, Transfiguration and dinner had been tense as MacDonald's mood seemed to envelope anybody that was near her into a deadly silence. Evans didn't blame the guys for eating with Remus but it didn't help the situation either. It made Sirius appear a tad cowardly.

"At least you know for definite that he doesn't like you." Marlene bluntly stated.

"Not helpful, McKinnon."

"She does have a point." Mary sighed, sitting down on Lily's bed, dispirited. "Now, I know that I'll always be _just_ friends with Black."

"You've got Inglebee." Emmeline smiled and sat next to Mary in a comforting manner.

"Oh, please. The guy is boring."

"Maybe him and Fenella should get together." Marlene snickered.

Lily tried not to laugh. "Do your usual and just date some other guy, then."

"There aren't that many left." Mary giggled.

"Maybe instead of rushing into a new relationship, you need to figure out what you actually want."

"Lily's right." Emmeline agreed. "Whats the longest time you've gone without having a boyfriend?"

Mary gave it some thought for a long time. "A month."

"Slut." Marlene coughed, which earned her three sharp glares. "Its true. You don't see the rest of us in Mary's problem. We've managed to figure out who we are and have you, MacDonald? No because you haven't given yourself enough time. _'I'm Mary and I've got to have a man on my arm to feel special and noticeable'._ "

" _I'm Marlene and I've got no emotions."_ Mary said, mimicking Marlene and her mockery.

 _"'I'm Mary and I don't let my friends have opinions or give them a chance to express their feelings because I'm too important in my own self pity to give a shit.'_ " McKinnon snapped. "Stop feeling sorry for yourself and work out who the hell you are."

Everyone became silent after Marlene's outburst. Lily looked down at her hands to try and not look at the Mary's face. The blonde asked, "Is that what you all think?"

Lily and Emmeline took awhile to agree but they both believed that honesty was needed.

MacDonald hiccoughed, "I see." Lily looked up to see her friend to find her standing up and marching her way over to the door. "Excuse me while I go and wallow in my own self importance."

"That is not what I said." Marlene interjected and stood in front of her path.

"But it's what you meant."

(Outside the Patronus Lesson)

"Who the _fuck_ broke MacDonald?" James asked as the three girls exited Lily's room and were walking into the common room.

"I did." Marlene muttered, feeling ashamed of herself and how she had handled it.

"No, we all did." Lily stated the fact. "Have you seen her?"

He replied, "Yes. She came walking down here, crying. What the hell did you say to her?"

"The truth." McKinnon glared, crossing her arms. "Sometimes it hurts, Potter."

James wasn't too sure on what to say but could see that all three girls were upset by their actions. He didn't need to make them feel guilty because they were already there. "She's gone with Padfoot and Wormtail to the Patronus lesson."

Lily walked past him and said, "Why's Sirius gone with her? He's the reason for all this."

"Mary wanted to talk to him." He responded, keeping in tow with her fast pace. "I made Peter go to keep peace."

It didn't take them long to walk to their Charms classroom. There was a crowd of their fellow seventh years waiting in an excited anticipation. It was hard for Lily to see where Mary was but she followed James and hoped, that with his height, he had managed to locate her.

Lily's guilt doubled when she saw the bloodshot eyes of Mary MacDonald's. She rushed over to her friend and gave her much needed hug. "I'm—"

"Look at this guys, two mudbloods—"

"Fuck off, Rabastan." Lily interrupted him, angrily, and pushed Mary to the side while she drew her wand up to his face.

"Cowering behind your friends, MacDonald, are we?"

"Leave Mary out of this."

"Or what?"

"Would you like me to remind you of what I did to your friend?" Lily smiled, feeling an anger rise within herself. "I was wondering why I hadn't got a detention for that. Are you too embarrassed that a dirty little mudblood—"

"Don't call yourself that, Lily." She heard James say by the side of her.

"—out bested you and your pureblood elitist buddies?" Lily questioned. She looked around her and saw the other Slytherins move closer towards Lestrange. Snape wasn't in view but, she secretly hoped, he wasn't anywhere near this to be a part of it.

Rabastan stood there for a few seconds, clearly, trying to figure out what the best option was here. There were more students on her side than there was earlier in the day. He was out numbered but it didn't stop him from pulling out his wand and producing a non-verbal spell.

Lily was ready with a defensive spell. It pushed all her friends, and the other students, backwards at the force of the spell. If no one had noticed the confrontation beforehand, they will have now. " _Alarte Ascendare._ " Lily shouted at Rabastan. It hit its target, perfectly in the chest. She didn't wait to see him fly upwards and crash into the ceiling , she had to cast another spell swiftly to protect herself and the others.

"Marry me, Evans." Lily heard Sirius whisper in admiration.

Red sparks flew in all direction. They ricochetted off of the walls and the various statutes that lined the corridor. She had no idea if anyone else was trying to help because her eyes stayed trained on the Slytherins ahead of her.

Lily had managed to deflect all of the spells coming her way but was struggling to find a way to get an attack spell through, and if she did, it was only to disarm the witch or wizard. When she did get a chance, Slytherin's numbers started to dwindle the more her spells hit their mark. Parkinson had run off screaming about her nose turning into a pigs snout causing the other Slytherin girls to follow after her to try and fix it back to normal, Augustus Rockwood had managed to knock himself out with a backfired spell and Bulstrode was currently stuck in the floor.

"Miss Evans!" Professor McGonagall shouted, coming out of the Charms room with the fellow Heads of House. "What do you think you are doing?"

In the mean time, Lestrange had gained consciousness and hadn't noticed that the teachers had walked out into the corridor. He raised his wand and, gradually, crept forward. Lily had noticed and sent him flying back into the same ceiling, while she turned to face the Professor. "Defending myself, Professor."

"Defensive spells do not cause a student to get stuck in the floor or crash into the ceiling." McGonagall stated.

"They had called her a mudblood twice today, Professor." James said, stepping forward to be next to Lily.

Head of Gryffindor House looked at her for a second. "Professor Slughorn, I suggest you take your House back to their common room and figure out a punishment for them. We do not tolerate any student being called such a word."

"Yes, Minevra." Slughorn agreed and faced Lily, apologetically. "I won't allow this type of behaviour to go unpunished, especially to a member of my club."

"Lily, if you'll come with me." McGonagall requested. "Everyone else go into the class to start your lesson."

"Professor—"

"No, Potter. Go into class."

Lily watched her year walk into Flitwick's room. They all looked guilty and sorry when they glanced her way. If it had been a normal lesson, Lily wouldn't have cared, but, because it was the first Patronus lesson, she felt like she was going to miss out on too much. The adrenaline had receded by the time she came to this conclusion.

Slughorn had managed to revive, unstuck and shepherd his House out of the corridor before Professor McGonagall faced Lily. "Miss Evans, do you realise that you can't go unpunished when you have hurt a student in this school?"

"Yes, Professor, but Lestrange attacked first."

"I'm deducting fifty points from Gryffindor and you are missing this workshop." McGonagall said. Lily stayed there, watching her Transfiguration Professor, waiting for more punishments. "That's all, Evans."

"Oh," Lily frowned, "Thank you, Professor."

She did as she was ordered but sulked around the castle grounds. Lily wasn't remorseful for what she had just done, in fact she was proud of herself, but it did hurt that she had managed to get kicked out of one of the most important lessons of the year. What if this one lesson pulled her back?

Eventually, after a half hour of moping, she made up her mind on where to go and proceeded to the Hospital Wing. Remus had made his way out of bed and was seated on a plumb armchair when she arrived. The closer she got to him, the more excruciatingly tired he looked.

"Shouldn't you be—" He began to ask when he saw her walking over to him.

Lily sat down on the seat next to him, sighed and recalled the days even to him

Remus laughed, looking brighter and healthier. "Are you worried that you've missed the Patronus lesson?"

"Just a little."

"I've been reading up on them, and from what Flitwick said yesterday, I'm sure me and you can figure it out together."

Lily smiled and touched his arm. "I'd like that."


	5. Dippet

**A/N: Thank you once again for joining me on this writing adventure. Fanfic is playing up on me atm so it might be longer to upload than hoped. It keeps going blank every time I try to upload a story. If someone knows how to fix this, please just PM me.**

 **Due to the issue on the last chapter with uploads, I didn't get to say this. I really appreciate funster16 and sannique (again) for commenting and to my first Guest review. Whoever you are, I'm glad we are on the same page. There are a few fanfics around that, I believe, got the whole dynamic wrong with Lily and the Marauders, especially Sirius.**

 **I got scared about writing the Quidditch tryouts so don't judge at my cowardice.**

 ** _Thats enough of that. Enjoy! Review. Share. Follow. Favourite. Good day._**

 ** _PS. I've been on holiday for 2 weeks so sorry for the delay. But I got all my Ravenclaw merch from Harry Potter World Universal Hollywood soooooooo *awkwardly twiddles thumbs as I'm writing a Gryffindor fanfic* Plus I found this a little tricky to write but soon all the fast paced chapters will begin. No more day after the other bullshit, I wanna get to Halloween/Sirius Birthday._**

 ** _PPS. Game of Thrones is taking over my life too. JonxDany._**

 ** _Disclaimer: JK Rowling is our Dark Lord and we are her Death Eaters_**

 _Chapter 5 - 'What else can you do? - Hellogoodbye'_

 _(So what?)_

"Marry me, Evans." Sirius said, again, as he sat down opposite her at the empty Gryffindor table.

She'd been awake since six to write a letter to her parents. Lily knew it came off as bitter and blunt but she didn't care, she wanted to know why her parents hadn't told her about the wedding.

Lily glared up from her indigestibly mushy cereal to see her friend look a little bit differently. "What have you done to your face?" She asked, trying hard not to laugh.

"I'm growing a beard."

He certainly was growing it. It had reached a full, bushy beard in the blink of an eye and before too long, Lily could only imagine it would look like Dumbledore's. She didn't ask what he'd put on his face for the hair to grow so quickly: instead, she took out her wand and proceeded to use a few incantation to help Sirius look decent. After finishing, Lily giggled. "For someone who's meant to be good at Transfiguration, that was awfully done."

Black reached for his spoon and began to observe his stubbly chin in the distorted reflection. "Nice work, Evans."

"Well, we've got to make sure every girl is still ridiculously attracted to you."

"Including you?" He teased.

Lily shrugged.

"Remember the game we played first night and you drank to fancying a person in the group, am I that person?"

She shrugged, again, but felt a little blush rise in her cheeks. "I'm still not marrying you."

"Please?" Black pleaded, using his puppy dog eyes. "For my birthday?"

"I've already got your birthday present sorted."

Sirius gasped, excitedly. "Is it a tattoo?"

"No. Do you want one?"

"Yeah, I think it would be kinda cool if you did one for me."

"I'll see if I can do it for Christmas." Lily groaned as she thought about all the work she was going to have alongside looking for charms and instructions on how to do a magical tattoo. "Why do you want to marry me, anyway.?"

"Love—"

Lily interrupted. "Don't call me _'_ Love _'._ "

" _Love_ , you should have seen yourself last night. You were amazing."

"I'm sure you helped."

"I didn't. I was too busy in awe."

"Someone must have."

"Nope."

"No?" Lily questioned, looking at him. His grey eyes glistened with knowledge but they did not tease, there was a proudness. "How could I have done all of that on my own?"

Black's grin grew as he touched her hand. "Evans, you are clearly a very powerful witch. You showed those Slytherins, and the rest of that House, that you are a person not to mess with. Merlin, I don't want to piss you off if thats what you can do."

She couldn't believe that she had managed to produce such powerful magic on her own. When she searched his eyes, and saw there wasn't a lie hidden, she started to except the face that, maybe, she had. "But I'm just a muggleborn." Lily said, softly and without thinking.

"Who gives a fuck?!" He proclaimed and squeezed her hand tighter. "You've just proved to those gits, and every other git, that it doesn't matter who you are or where you've come from. You are the smartest person in Hogwarts, it shouldn't have been a surprise to anyone that you are a remarkable witch. So what if you're muggleborn, so what?"

Quietly, she asked, "What if I've made it worse? What if they tell Voldemort about me?"

"Then he should fear you."

"Fear can drive people to do things, Sirius. I have a muggle family that he could attack to keep me silent, to keep me so engrossed in my own sadness and guilt that I do nothing to help defeat him."

Black laughed, "Trust me, you're parents are safe."

"How do you know that?"

"Do you think Prongs hasn't tried to help—" Sirius began but stopped as he, and Lily, noticed someone walking towards them. They both looked to see who it was and he greeted her with a smile. "Sophia, how are you doing on this fine morning?"

Sophia Dippet was a beautiful, Iberian seventh year who attracted many peoples attention, but unlike Fleming, didn't date everyone that had an eye for her. Lily didn't know that much about her, but from what people said, and Marlene's approval of her, there was nothing to fault. Everyone did love Sophia _fucking_ Dippet.

"Can I join you guys?" She asked, coyly. Lily began to pull her hand away, as she saw the Ravenclaw look at the entwined hands, but Sirius kept them together.

Evans smiled, friendly, and nodded her head. Sophia replied with the same smile, sat down next to Black and said, "Oh, Lily, I hope we can become good friends. I don't want him to have to chose between us because, I'm sure, he will always pick you."

"He will, will he?" Lily smirked, looking at Sirius.

"I have no doubt about it. You should have heard him yesterday in the Patronus class. I was rather jealous." Sophia's sweet smile continued, "Lily, what you guys have is obviously very special and I don't want to be the girl that splits up that kind of friendship."

Sirius let go of Lily's hand and used it to cup Dippet face to plant a passionate kiss on the mouth. It seems that was what he had been wanting to hear.

Black had had many girlfriends in the past but none of them had lasted overly long. Lily had just assumed they'd fanned out, or that Sirius just got bored after the chase was over, but she never pondered the idea that it was because the girlfriend couldn't deal with their friendship. _Maybe thats another reason why Fenella only lasted two days,_ she thought. She couldn't blame him, if that was the case. Lily and Sirius did have a special relationship and, neither of them, could last long without seeing the other for they both treasured each other more than anyone else, even though Lily would never admit it to his face.

The kissing continued for a long, awkward time but Lily let them have it. Sirius seemed to need it. She drank her pumpkin juice and finished off her cereal before another voice disrupted the silence. "Get a room, Padfoot." Remus snickered, sat down next to Lily and grabbed his friend by the back of his jumper to pull him apart from Sophia. "I'm sure Lily doesn't want to witness your bad skills."

Dippet blushed and began to busy herself with breakfast.

"Here she is." James laughed as he sat down on the other side of Lily and placed his arm over her shoulder for a half embrace. She fell, a little, into him and she had to stop herself by resting a hand on his chest. She could feel his heart beat, like a thousand drums, against her palm. "You were incredible last night. Everyone was talking about it, even Flitwick."

"Did I miss anything important?" She asked, straightening herself up, and felt a slight redness spread across her face.

"Does it matter that you missed a one hour lesson?" Sirius smiled, with a raised eyebrow. "Knowing you, Evans, you'll be producing a full corporeal on your first go."

"I doubt it. Did anyone?"

"Kingsley was close but thats because he's Kingsley." Potter said, "What did McGonagall do afterwards?"

Lily looked at him quizzically. "She let me off."

"You don't have any detentions?"

She shook her head with a smile.

Lily felt a soft hand on her shoulder. Mary was there looking tired and apologetic. "I'm sorry I stormed off the way I did. I'm sorry for not finding you last night to thank you."

"You don't have to thank me. And I should be apologising to you." Evans smiled and pushed James for MacDonald to wedge in between them.

"Why do you never make Lupin move?" James glared over the top of Mary's head.

She replied with a mischievous smirk. "Because I _actually_ like Remus."

"I thought you liked Sirius the most?" Sophia said, with a confused expression.

Marlene chuckled, as she sat down next to the Ravenclaw. "You have a lot to learn about these idiots."

 _(Love)_

Sophia had all the same classes as Lily, plus Arithmancy and Ancient Runes, so she followed the group like a shadow. She didn't intrude or take part in many conversation but just sort of observed how everyone reacted. Lily found it odd but understood why she was doing it. Dippet was trying to figure out who the _idiots_ were and, also, where she belonged in the group.

It was apparent that she fitted right in with McKinnon. The two of them had been in hushed, gossipy whispers since Marlene sat next to her at breakfast and it continued into the first lesson of the day, double Herbology. Lily wasn't the only one to notice the constant chattiness. "What the hell could those two be talking about?" Emmeline asked, as they walked behind the unusual pairing to a double Potions lesson. "Marlene doesn't even like gossip."

"McKinnon only likes gossip when it's truthful and fact, unlike Mary." Lily stated. "She's probably dishing all the dirt she has on all us _idiots_."

"I think that was just pointed at you, Black and Potter."

"Didn't she mean everyone?"

Vance laughed, as the walked into the Potions classroom and they headed towards their separate tables. "Stay oblivious, Evans."

 _Oblivious?_ Lily thought as she strolled over to her table. Lily had always assumed herself to be rather aware of things yet, the more she pondered on Emmeline's words, it became clear that she had missed a few things lately. _Is there something wrong with me? Have I been too self indulged in pushing things deep and away that I've forgotten how to be my true self?_

"Lily," Severus began, in a quiet voice, as he sat down beside her. "Can we talk?"

She nodded but he didn't get chance to speak. Professor Slughorn had walked into the room, "Good morning, witches and wizards. Please stay seated while we begin."

Everyone watched the Professor saunter to the front. He held a small crate of yesterdays potions on top of his portly belly causing the glasses to chime throughout the circular room. Carefully, Slughorn placed the box on his desk and turned around with a huge smile. "Class, you have out performed what I expected. As you can recall, this wasn't a hard potion to create but when maturing it shows the makers true feelings. Many of my pupils have not been able to succeed in making the _Amortentia_ so, please, do not be disappointed when your vial returns back to you unsuccessful. That does not mean the potion is useless. It still works as a love potion - just not a powerful one - and it can be used as the base ingredient for a hate potion."

Slughorn's smile grew, "Now, in this class, there have been a eight who have managed to create the perfect _Amortentia_. That is a record, I might add. Normally, I would offer the lucky winner a prize, however due to the number I will have to think of alternate prizes. So, lets begin."

With a slight movement of hand, the bottles began to fly into the air. Lily didn't want to look. She glanced down at the empty space on her desk and hoped, wished, that her vial would come back fautly. But it didn't. It landed in the emptiness as clear as day. The mother of pearl sheen illuminated in her eyes, darkening her surrounding sight, and she could smell those three intoxicated scents through the cork. Her brain didn't want to process what it was seeing. She wanted to not see her name on the label. She wanted it to not be true because she knew she couldn't deal with this discovery. Lily wanted to scream.

As everyone received their potions, the room filled with loud voice that woke Lily out of her tranced state. There were two others that were perfect: Omar Abasi, a Ravenclaw prefect who had been in a relationship for the last year, and Severus Snape. He looked at his sullenly as if it wasn't surprising but hated the fact his secret was open for anyone to see.

Lily glanced over at the following tables. She wasn't surprised to see three girls, who were all in long term relationships, have the pearlescent potion. But when she saw her fellow Gryffindor's she was surprised to see two perfect _Amortentia_ 's in front of her friends. Marlene McKinnon and James Potter had the same expression as Snape: a mixture of shock and annoyance.

She wanted to catch Marlene's eyes so she could make sure her friend was okay. However, Sirius' stormy eyes had managed to trap Lily instead, and she could feel the rise of panic set in. She didn't need Black to know that she was in love when she herself didn't know who the person was. Lily watched him throw a scrap piece of parchment at her.

 ** _Matters of the heart show themselves eventually, Love. Give me a call any time you want to talk about it. - Yours, Sirius._**

 _I'm so in love love with you, Black, there isn't anything to tell. Always and forever yours, Lily Evans._

 ** _Just say the words and I'm all yours._**

Lily laughed and smirked at Black. He nodded, knowing that he had helped laugh about her situation, and went back to talking to a hysterical James. Marlene still wouldn't look away from her potion. Evans would talk to her after the lesson to make sure her friend was okay.

"Class, class." Slughorn cheered above the noise. "As much as I love all this jubilation, we must continue with the lesson. Today, I want you to write two lengths of parchment on the difference between a love potion and a hate potion. You will find all of the information required in your books from page twenty two to page twenty six."

The swooshing of pages softly filled the room as all the students obliged the teachers request. Evans, being familiar with all the potions within the book, had no issue in starting her essay. Nor did Snape. He had finished one length of parchment before he uttered a word to her.

"Can we talk?" He asked, again.

She didn't look up from her task but replied. "Of course."

"Are we friends again?"

"No." Lily sighed without hesitation. "I told you in the summer we aren't."

"Then, what the bloody hell is this?"

"Acquaintanceship. I told you I'm not going to be a git towards you and that I wouldn't ignore you but I can't go back to having a friendship with you, Severus."

Snape didn't speak for a while causing Lily to look up from her work. He looked like he wanted to argue, to fight for their friendship, but with her admitting that it wasn't nothing anymore, Snape accepted acquaintanceship. "What do acquaintances do?"

"They sit by each other in class. They do homework together in the library. They do their prefect duties together."

He nodded and looked at her. "About last night—"

"Were you there?" She interrupted.

"No."

"Then we have nothing to talk about."

There was a tension in the air afterwards for neither of them spoke.

Lily was thankful for the bell to ring for lunch, however, she forgot that a prize had to be given. Herself and the other six 'winners' waited behind as everyone else went for lunch. The four who had been in relationships were ecstatic with their results and couldn't wait for their awards, but for the other four, they sat sullenly and in silence.

Slughorn called them, up to his desk, one by one. Lily assumed the Professor had used a silencing charm as no one could hear what the student was asking for. She found herself to be at the back of the queue, with Marlene, and when her time came she knew what she wanted.

"I don't want anything, sir." Lily said, confidently.

The Potions Professor smiled and rested his hands on his desk, "Lily, you did an excellent potion. Something like that should be rewarded."

"But, sir, I don't _need_ a potion to give me luck or help my brain reach its optimum function or help me sleep. I can manage without."

"Seventh year is a hard year and you might want that sleeping potion more than you think." He chuckled.

"Well, then." Lily grinned, after she had pondered wha the Professor had meant. "I would like my prize to be something I can collect later when it's most needed because, at the moment, I do not know what could be useful."

"Smart thinking, Miss Evans. But do give me due warning as the potion you may request could take a long time to brew."

She smiled, and bowed slightly, before going to the back of the room. Others had left for lunch but Lily wanted to wait for the last person to finish so she could make sure her friend was okay. She tried not to intrude on Marlene but it was clear that her friend was out of character. McKinnon held herself dejected and timid, two traits no one would have associated with the Quidditch player.

When she had received her prize, Marlene hastily strolled past Lily as if she was invisible. "Hey," Lily said, catching her friends arm to make her stop. "Are you okay?"

McKinnon stopped but twitched her head to indicate to keep walking. As the two friends fell side by side of one another, Marlene replied in a defensive matter. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"You can always talk to me about things. Are you in love with your ex?"

"Which one? Niamh Shaw? Lucinda Chambers? Which ever one of the Prewett twins I dated?"

"Well, are you?"

"Of course I'm bloody well not."

"Who then?"

"Evans," The blonde began angry but sighed defeatedly, "Lily, this is something we have to forget about."

"Why?"

"Because my secret is my secret and I have to deal with it everyday as if its nothing."

"If you tell me about it, then it will become real and then it shouldn't be something you have to _deal_ with."

"Making it real will hurt even more." Marlene snapped, with tears in her eyes, and grabbed her friends arm to push her to the side. "Listen," she said in a quieter voice, "instead of worrying about me, maybe you should focus on yourself and try and figure out what yours means."

"You're hurting over this, I'm not." Lily said, honestly. "I have no idea who this _love_ is for but you do. Let me help you, even if that is just telling me about it. Do you not trust me?"

"Of course I trust you."

"What stays between us, stays between us. Always"

Marlene stared at the redhead. "Evans, this isn't something you can fix."

"Who says it needs to be fixed? I'm telling you to not push your feelings down and finally tell me about how you feel."

"Using my own words against me." McKinnon smiled, remembering the time she told Mary that on the carriage ride up to the castle. "I just can't."

"But—"

"No, Evans." She snarled, abruptly, and walked away from Lily. "This is my decision. I don't want you to know that I've been in love with Black since—" Marlene stopped. She had revealed her deepest secret. McKinnon gasped before she turned around to face her friend: her eyes were wide and a single tear ran down her face. "Lily, I…You cannot tell anyone."

Lily crossed her heart and winked, "Marlene McKinnon, you have my word."

"You are such a git." Marlene said, crushed.

"Have you joined _'Black is the scum of the Earth'_ group, as well?" Evans asked, linking her arm through her friends to push them both forwards, towards the Great Hall, for lunch.

"No, I'm not that tragic."

"You could have told me."

"Yeah, I know."

"Since when—"

Marlene cut in, "We are not talking about the _when's_ and the _why's_. This is just the way it is. Ok?"

"But you told Mary in the carriage…?"

"I'm not going to stop my friend from living her life."

"What about Fenella? Sophia?"

"What about them?" Marlene shrugged and proceeded to enter the Great Hall as if nothing was a matter. Lily watched her friend walk over to the group, sit next to Sophia and continue their previous conversation as if nothing was a matter. McKinnon had always been aloof about her feelings but it was clear how incredibly brave, and respectful of others, she was. Lily had to admire that.

 _(Prefects Meeting)_

Lily had spent the rest of the day trying to figure out who _her_ mystery love interest could be. But she couldn't figure it out and decided after spending all day worrying about it to console her friends. Mary hadn't heard yet, which Lily was thankful for, but Marlene nor Emmeline were much help. Emmy kept calling her oblivious and McKinnon didn't want to be anywhere near Lily. Her last resort was Lupin or Sirius and that was a not a good idea.

"Are you alright, Lily?" Remus asked, as they walked out of their last lesson of the day and headed towards the Prefects room. "You've been quite all day."

"I've been contemplating life." She replied, gloomily.

Lupin chuckled, "Have you figured it out yet?"

"No."

"Don't pout, Lily."

"I don't pout. Sirius pouts."

Lupin laughed, again. "Don't worry too much about it, Lils. You'll figure it out eventually."

"How are you so certain?"

"Because the guy has nothing better to do with his life and can wait."

Lily glared and changed the subject because she didn't want to think about how she was so _oblivious_ to this whole thing. "Are we going to do the Patronus lesson tonight?"

"Sure. I've got to stay for the tryouts but can do it afterwards. I can be in the Entrance Hall for eight."

"I'm down on the pitch anyway, I'd already said to Marlene I'd come and be supportive." She huffed, "I can't believe Potter insisted on having tryouts tonight when he knew we were having a Prefect's meeting."

"You're just crabby because you are hungry."

"Yeah and so will all the other prefects." Lily sighed. The two of them had started to walk down the stairs, towards the corridor the Prefects room was on, when they bumped into James, who was coming up the opposite stairs in his Quidditch uniform. "Talk of the devil."

"You alright?" He asked, rhetorically, as he bounded next to them. Potter had been awfully, sickeningly, chipper after their Potions lesson and it had started to annoy her.

"Why are you _still_ so happy?" She asked, as they rounded the corner and saw the rest of the prefects waiting outside the room.

"Lily, it's a glorious day and a perfect night to play Quidditch. Sirius told me you don't know how to play, or ride a broom, so I'll give up my time to help you."

"I wouldn't want you to waste your precious time on me, Potter."

"Every time I spend with you, Evans, is never a waste of my time." He winked, before walking over to greet the fellow Gryffindor prefects.

The beast inside of her hit her heart. It began to flutter in its cage causing Lily to, nearly, double over. She tried to hide her inside animal but she knew she'd stumbled, just like yesterday. Lily couldn't look at Remus, for she knew he'd tell Black. "Why does he have to have the last word?" She grumbled, and proceeded to walk towards the room and was about to enter when a familiar blonde walked past and greeted the two Gryffindors.

"Sophia, what are you doing here?" Evans asked, a tad aggressively, as she felt all she ever saw, nowadays, was Dippet.

"Oh, Lily, I'm a Prefect." She laughed. "Had you forgotten?"

Lily lied with a smile. "Of course not. Shall we?"

The Prefect's room was a small, forgotten room. The bare bricked walls were covered in old photos of past years and of recent newspaper clippings. Desks were against both walls for people to sit, lounge, sleep on, for there were no chairs available. At the back there was a small, broken chest of drawers that had different pieces of parchment a perfect needed to carry out their duty.

Lily walked to the back and rummaged in her bag for the timetable she'd created yesterday. Once found, she used a duplicated spell and with a swish of her wand, the papers flew into the air and into each prefects hands. "These are the duties for the next month. If anyone has any issues with a certain day, please sort it out between yourselves and, once you have agreed with someone, then tell me or James the new system."

"I have an issue." Olive Finch piped up, from the back.

"Issues with partnering cannot be resolved." James said.

"But we'll change everybody around next month, only if there are any issues." Lily interjected, quickly, in an attempt to keep some sort of peace. "This is only going to be a quick meeting tonight—"

"Because Potter has—"

"Shut your mouth, Finch." Patricia Abbot, a Hufflepuff seventh year, snapped. "If you stop your complaining, this can be all over and we can go eat."

"Now," Lily began, "A few nights back, myself and James had a meeting with Dumbledore. We all know that the castle has been protected by various spells and enchantments, but he would like us to inform you of protocols set in place for if we need to leave the castle."

"And what are those?" Omar Abasi enquired.

"Annoyingly, he has not told us."

"Then why the bloody hell are we here talking about it?" Elspeth MacDougal, fifth year Ravenclaw, questioned.

James replied, "Because we need to figure out a way for all of us to communicate, to each other, that doesn't alert the enemy. Do you think it would be a good idea for Dumbledore, or anyone, to use an Amplifying Charm to say Voldemort's in the fucking castle? We need to put our heads together on this. Just because we don't know it all yet doesn't mean we can't be ahead and ready."

"What about if we want to help protect Hogwarts and fight?" The quiet voice of Miraphora Mina asked. Other prefects started to nod there heads and whisper in agreements, apart from the Slytherins who stayed very still and silent.

Lily smiled, "You have been given a underclassman each and your first priority is to keep them safe so the first action will be to get all of them out of the castle. If no one can leave the castle, I suggest each House allocates a team of upperclassman to protect the younger students in a secure place. This secret hideaway should be protected with spells and should only be know by the people in the House. Once the underclassman are safe, anyone can join the fight to save this school and everyone in it."

"When do you _suggest_ we should assign these roles and find safe shelter for our Housemates?" Abbot asked.

"As soon as possible," James said, "There are three clear course of actions we need to take. Each of us here need to: one, tell all upperclassman to start thinking about how we can all communicate with each other: two, find a safe and secure place to hide, incase it is needed: and finally, allocate upperclassman to protect the underclassman in these hideouts."

"We do not mean to frighten anyone here." Lily began as she noticed some people a little fearful. "We just need to work together because our collective minds are better than just one."

There was an eerie silence after Lily spoke. Everyone was trying to process the new information but it was clear that they all appreciated being told. She felt guilty for having told them nothing but what had been discussed was necessary. Dumbledore might not think Voldemort will attack this school, but if he ever does, it could be at any time of year.

"Thank you for listening. If anyone has got ideas on the communication issue and its before next months meeting, please tell me or James so that we can organise another meeting sooner." She finished. "Are there anymore questions?"

No one did, surprisingly.

"Was that Mina?" James whispered, as the two of them watched the prefects leave the room. Miraphora was dawdling at the back of the queue. It wasn't hard to miss the girl with unevenly choppy pink hair and charcoal on her face.

Lily nodded.

"Cool." He said and sauntered over to greet her. Lily couldn't hear what they said but she was happy that he had introduced himself to her, for she hadn't known what to expect when the two would meet.

She smiled to herself and walked over to Lupin. He grinned, gave her a quick sideways hug. "Well done, Evans."

"Thanks," Lily exhaled. "Do you think I was clear enough on the issues?"

"I heard Abbot talk about what her House has to do to one of their fifth year prefects, who was talking notes. And it looks like you've found a good match there as well." Lupin commented as he looked at James and Miraphora in the doorway.

"I think her asking the question of fighting helped her cause. I think they might be good for each other."

"How so?"

"People have put Mina in a box of being loopy, I know I have, but I haven't held it against her were as others have. Being friends with James might help her open up to people or for people to see she isn't some crazy art-ancient runes loving witch. And she's going to help—"

"Who changed your name on the timetable?" James interrupted, angrily, as he had finished introducing himself to her partner.

"I did. Do you like—"

"Don't change the subject, Evans."

"You had an issue with Eustace so I changed it." Lily said, aggressively. "What's the problem with me being partnered with Sev?"

"Everything. You try to see the good in him all the time. Newsflash, Evans, there is no 'good' left."

"We are just partners on one watch a week. So what?"

"I can't believe you can't see it." He laughed. "Would you like me to spell it out for you, Lily? Everyone in that House has a family member in the Death Eater—"

"Dumbledore told us to trust them."

"And I have with trying to help get the younger students out or to safety, but if any of them want to fight, whose side do you think they'll be on? Do you not think he'd attack you if his House were unsure of his loyalty to them?"

Lily glared at him.

"He has a point, Lily." Remus said.

Lily glared at him, too. "You don't think I don't know that."

"Wait," James whispered, "you're agreeing with me?"

 _(In the Quidditch changing room)_

"Lily Evans agreed with you?" Sirius asked as all the Marauders were lounging in the Quidditch changing room. Black and Potter were both donning their red and gold training clothes. The wannabe players were all eagerly loitering on the pitch but James wanted to let them sweat while he relaxed with his three best mates.

"I was there, Padfoot." Remus replied.

"Why would Mooney lie?" James stated.

Black shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe you've promised him my old room."

"Yeah, I have."

"Where am I going to sleep?"

"In that flat you bought with your uncle's money."

Sirius smiled, cunningly. "Maybe I'll ask Evans to move in with me."

James glared daggers at his best mate.

"Don't look so angry, Prongs. You might get a wrinkle." Black laughed, but decided to change the topic, somewhat. "Moons, when are you leaving us to go teach Lily?"

"I don't know." Lupin shrugged, "She said she'd be down on the pitch—"

James and Sirius ran towards the door, and opened it in a forcefully manner. They both managed to regain some poise and slumped on either side of the door frame as if not bothered by the fact that she was down on the grass. "She's never come to a practice before." James mumbled, watching the girl talk to Marlene.

"Love does strange things to a person."

"Shut your face, Padfoot."

"We all saw the potion this morning."

"She doesn't even like Quidditch."

"She does, actually." Remus said as he got up off his bench. The two in the doorway turned around and looked at him as if he was an idiot. "Lily pretends she doesn't enjoy to sport to tease you. She's done it since first year."

"How do you know this?"

"While you two are flying about, Wormtail and me sit next to her."

"She's always yelling at Madame Hooch." Peter smiled.

"Does she have a favourite team?" James asked.

"Mate, she's a muggle. She's never been to a game outside of school."

"Why didn't she want to play Quidditch with us then? I wrote saying she could be the referee instead." Sirius said.

Remus shrugged. "I think she's secretly embarrassed that she can't ride a broom."

"I said I'd help her." James muttered.

"Did you say something stupid?" Sirius asked. James didn't reply but a smirk on Remus' face said all causing Black to laugh. "Of course you did."

"She said it would have been a waste of my time and I corrected her on it."

"In _exactly_ those words?"

"Git." James glared and proceeded to walk onto the pitch. The players on the pitch, new and old, including McKinnon, noticed his presence and began to line up accordingly but he walked past them all. He was too focused on Lily and why she was there. "Lily, what are you doing here?"

Lily replied, honestly. "Marlene asked me to come. It was too make sure you didn't drop her for another player, or something like that. She thinks I'd win the argument."

"I'm not going to replace her."

"Good." She nodded with a smile. "Looks like my work here is done."

"Remus and Peter are sitting over there" He said pointing to the two figures sitting down on the grass.

Lily nodded, again, and proceeded to walk towards them. James turned around and smiled to himself. He would have thought about teaching Lily to ride a broom someday and how her hair would flow in the wind or how she'd be scared and wrap her arms around his waist, but any thought was destroyed by Black's obnoxious mouth.

"Why so smug, Potter?" Sirius shouted.

James flipped him off and grumpily walked over to the line. "If there is anyone in their first year or from a different House, leave now." He said, assertively. Giggly Hufflepuffs and begrudging first year Gryffindors left the pitch cutting the group down in half. "I want all the chasers behind me, beaters behind McKinnon, keepers behind Black and seekers behind Kelleen. Go!"

The rest did as they were said and proceeded to line up behind the allocated player. James recognised a few of the signups from the previous years and hoped that they had improved or else it was going to be another bleak year for reserves.

Potter calculated how many wannabes there were before he spoke. "We are going to jump right in. There are enough of you to play a match against each other. Myself and the team will be flying about but we will not be playing along. Understand?" Everyone nodded. "Good. Coote and Sloper, because you tried out last year, you are the captains. Pick your teams."

It had taken longer than James would have wanted but once the teams were organised they were all raring to go. He was to play as referee while the other members of the House team were look outs to see which signups were the best. James was only counting on having the best. Especially now he knew Lily Evans loved Quidditch too.

 _(Sitting on the Quidditch pitch)_

While the game began, Lily sat down on the grass next to the other two Marauders and gazed into the clear sky. The sun had just started to set; it casted beautiful oranges and pinks into the sky and transformed the mountains into minuscule, dark triangles. She had forgotten how amazingly picturesque the surroundings of the school could be, when all you do is stay inside studying.

Emmeline and Mary joined the three shortly afterwards. The brunette began her History of Magic homework while the blonde sat quietly and sullenly.

"Mary, are you okay?" Evans asked.

"I broke up with Inglebee, in Divination my tea leaves said I'm going to survive something while the rest of my friends don't, there was no apple crumble for pudding and I really can't be arsed to go to my Astronomy lesson later." MacDonald sighed, heavily. "I'm just tired of being a witch."

"Would you rather be at a muggle school learning geography and having to do P.E every week?"

"No." Mary laughed but she swiftly went back to being a depressed version of herself. "I just want to go a day without feeling shit about everything."

"Yesterday didn't help." Lily said, apologetically.

"That's water under the bridge and it was something I needed."

"Why don't you want to go to Astronomy?" Lily asked, trying to relieve some of the tension that had started to arise. "You love that class."

"None of my best friends are in it." She sighed with her head in her hands.

Lily was about to give her friend a needed side hug but a Bludger was flying towards Emmeline, who was still too busy with her nose in a book. Quickly, Evans withdrew her wand and shouted, " _Protego_." Vance looked up just as the ball bounced off of the invisible shield.

"I think it's best if you put your homework away, Emmy." Lily said, relieved. Her friend nodded, a little shaken, and slid her work back into her backpack, and a little closer to her friends too, as she looked up at the sky.

The redhead looked up into the sky ready to cast another spell. She couldn't decide whether the spell would be to protect herself or to hex the person who'd hit the Bludger. Her anger subsided, a little, when she saw James furiously yelling at the kid who had done it. Lily recognised him as the reserve player the Quidditch team already had.

"He's just got himself kicked off the team." Peter whistled.

"Why did he get the position and not Coote?" Lily asked after she'd made sure there were enough protection charms in place and had sat back down. "Clearly, Coote is a..."

"Looks like we have a problem." Wormtail whispered, interrupting Lily's train of thought. The other Gryffindor's turned to face where he was looking.

"Fenella _has_ got friends trying out tonight." Remus uttered, trying to think of a reasonable explanation for why she might be there because he hoped it wasn't to do with Sirius. But it was clear Abercrombie was there to see Sirius, her eyes gave it away.

"No, Mooney, over _there._ " Wormtail said and pointed towards the girl.

Lily sighed, loudly, and stood up.

"Where're you going?"

"Someone's got to distract her. And if that doesn't work, I'll have to use the _Confundus_ charm."

Peter asked, "Why don't you just tell her to go away?"

"I'm not going to be rude to her. If James didn't want any House to walk onto this pitch _he_ should have put up a protection spell against them. What's she going to tell Ravenclaw anyway? We look pretty good up there." Lily said before she went over to greet Dippet.

"Oh, Lily, it's such a nice evening." Sophia sang. "I thought you did really well at the meeting and you don't have to worry about the communication issue; Obasi's already got everyone on the case."

The redhead smiled. "Maybe he should have been Head Boy."

"No, James did wonderfully. It's no wonder your Quidditch team do so well when your Captain is a natural born leader."

"I don't think Potter will let you attend any 'official' practices." Lily said as apologetically as possible. "He's paranoid you might spill our strategy to Boot."

"I understand. I won't stay too long."

"Sophia, I want to thank you about earlier. With Sirius."

"No worries, Lily. I see how the two of you act around each other and its nothing romantic. Sirius probably flirts a little too much but thats just him being him and I wouldn't want to change that. I wouldn't want to change anything."

Lily smiled and nodded in understanding. "Well, thank you."

"Can you tell Sirius I'll see him in the Entrance Hall?"

"I'm sure they're nearly finished."

"It's okay, Lily. I wouldn't want to make James angry." Sophia laughed and winked before walking away to exit the pitch.

Evans watched the blonde go before she headed back to her friends.

"What did Dippet want?" Peter asked as soon as Lily sat back down.

"Just to see Sirius." Lily grumbled.

"Did you invite her to sit with us?" Emmy asked as she continued to look up at the sky incase a rogue Bludger came her way.

"I'm not a sod, Vance. Of course I did but she didn't want to stay. And, ugh, if I have to hear another ' _Oh, Lily'_ I'm gonna jump in the Lake and let the Giant Squid eat me."

"I thought you liked Dippet."

"I do. I think she's a good person, a great person, but she's just overly …"

"Vanilla." Peter muttered.

"Yes. She's too vanilla for Black."

"Does this have anything to do with what happened today?" Remus asked.

"What happened in potions today?" Mary said, squeaky.

"Looks like the tryouts have finished." Evans responded and stood up quickly, hoping to divert Mary's attention. Lily would have told her friend but Mary was known to gossip and change various facts in an Chinese Whispers way. "Lets go to McKinnon."

Everyone who had been sitting on the pitch had ran into the middle of the pitch to talk to their friends, who were descending from the sky and dismounting their brooms. Lily walked, briskly, to where Marlene was. The blonde was with Digory Kirke and the wannabe beaters. She spoke to them in a reassuring manner and congratulating them all on playing well. "It's going to be hard for James to pick between you guys." Lily heard her friend say.

"Except for you, Kirke Junior." James said, as he walked over to the group. "You are off the team."

"But—"

"Just because your brother is our beater doesn't mean you are anywhere _near_ good enough to be on the team. You're no longer our beater reserve."

"Dig," The younger brother began.

"I'm sorry, bro, but you heard the Captain." Digory whispered, placed an arm over his sibling and proceeded to walk way from the scene.

"Did you have to tell him like that?" Lily glared. "Everyone else is going to find out when you put the list up, surely that would have been a better way."

"Evans, he played awful and nearly knocked Vance's head off. I don't want that on my team."

"Nobody in Gryffindor would want that but there's a nicer way then what you just did."

"Don't tell me how to do my job."

Lily's glare hardened because she knew she couldn't respond without sounding like she _was_ telling him how to do his job. But she couldn't shake off how he had treated Digory's brother. Her frustration grew as she could see James' expression change to smugness as he realised he had shut her up. In an angered moment, she spun around, grabbed Remus' arm and dragged the two of them back to the castle so they could start their lesson.

 _(Professor Lupin)_

After storming away they saw Black, who had also been smug about her 'stumbling' outside the prefects meeting, which didn't put Gossipy Lupin in a good place, increased her irritation higher. And to top it all off, she was annoyed with herself for letting these things irritate her when she knew she'd have to be happy to do the Patronus spell.

To get her mind off her vexation, she asked Remus what he had meant earlier on the pitch.

"There's only one reason you've suddenly disliked Sophia and thats because of Marlene."

"What about Mar?"

"She's in love with Sirius."

Lily stuttered. "She…Marlene…How…? If you know does that mean Sirius know?"

"I don't know, we haven't discussed it." Remus shrugged. "He has feelings for her though."

"He does? Then what's he doing with Dippet?"

He shrugged, again. "The last couple of people McKinnon's gone out with have been girls. Maybe Padfoot thinks he's not her type."

Lily agreed. "True. Marlene hadn't told anybody, how did you figure it out?"

"She may act like she's impassive to everything but, sometimes, she let's her true self through."

"Am I really that oblivious?"

Lupin shook his head. "Marlene corrects herself too quickly for it to be obvious. Don't worry about it, Lily."

"But doesn't it make me seem like a bad friend for not noticing it earlier?"

"Of course not. McKinnon would have taken this secret to her grave if the _Amortentia_ hadn't revealed it."

Lily and Remus lapped into silence as they continued to walk. She was too busy contemplating how she felt to start or continue a conversation. Even though Lupin said it didn't make her a bad friend, she felt it. Was Emmeline right about Lily being oblivious? _What else have I missed?_ Lily began to think. _Is Mary a ghost? Is Vance dating someone because no one knows where she goes?_

The unused Charms classroom was set up for their lesson. All the tables and chairs had been pushed to the side, and it looked like Flitwick had written some notes on the blackboard for them. The two of them walked over to the board and examined it. Remus, also, opened up a book to a page on the charm.

"Ok, what do you want to do first?" He asked.

"Erm, I was just going to follow you…Professor." Lily smiled with a slight giggle.

Lupin chuckled. "I'm not going to be a Professor."

"Why not? You'd be a great one."

"There's the wolf issue and I could just imagine James, Sirius or both of them sending me Howlers causing my reputation to go down the drain."

"Those idiots would do something like that." Lily laughed. Her imagination flew to an older Remus sitting at the teachers table on the first day, the owls would deliver their post, he'd see a envelope with his name written by one of the Marauders, opens it and their voice's yell through the hall congratulating him on his new job with some embarrassing secrets. "Ok so no Professor Lupin, just regular Lupin. Got it. Why don't we practice the wand movement and the right pronunciation."

For the next couple of minutes the two of them worked one what Lily had suggested. They started by drawing circles in the air and slowly saying the incantation.

"You can increase the power of the spell by how many circles you do and by how strong the happy memory is." Remus informed as he went back to reading the book as the two of them were confident using the appropriate movement and saying.

"Does it say what type of happy memory it should be?"

"It just says your happiest one. And you have to concentrate, with all your might, on this single, happy memory."

Lily hated how vague magic could be sometimes. "How are you meant to keep concentration when a Dementor is going to attack you?"

"If we get the spell right, we can worry about that later. Professor Scamander said he'd bring a Bogart thats been fixed as a Dementor into his after-hours lesson. It won't be the same but it might be enough to help."

Herself and Lupin stood side by side. They were ready. Lily's happiest memory was when she found out she wasn't a _freak_ and that there was a school, and a new world, where people like her belonged. She could remember the pure ecstatic emotion and as she dwelled on it, the same feeling arose in her body like warm, reassuring wave of light.

" _Expecto Patromun."_ They both said in unison. Something whooshed suddenly out of the of her wand; a silvery wisp of gas. Lily tried to concentrate on it and continued to draw circles in the air but it didn't grow any further. As she tried to push it further, it began to dwindle and eventually it went out.

"Did you see that?" Lily said excitedly. "Something happened."

"Very good." Lupin smiled. But he wasn't looking at her. He was looking at the beautiful silver wolf animal that was prowling along the walls.

"This is amazing." She whispered in awe. Lily was thrilled that her friend had managed to do something incredibly difficult. But as she looked away from the Patronus and over at Remus, his smile had faltered and a cloud of worry covered his eyes. "Remus, if anyone saw this they wouldn't think your a werewolf."

"It's not that Lily. This is a constant reminder of my affliction and I don't want to see it anymore." He whispered, waving his wand in a saddened manner and returned back to the book. "Maybe there's a way for me to disguise it?"

"Dumbledore could help. He'd could say you have a special circumstance and still pass you because you have proven you can create a corporeal." The redhead suggested, hoping that her words were helping him. "You should be proud that you've been able to produce one, Remus."

Lupin sighed, loudly. "I'll send the Headmaster a note and ask for his help. But onto a promise I made to you—" He turned around, very upright and assertive, "—I've got to help you out."

"It's alright if you don't want to."

"No, no, I want to."

Evans nodded. "What did you think about? What was the memory you chose?"

"I had two in my mind so I'm not too sure which one was the one I concentrated the most on." Lupin began as he tried to think what he had thought. "Just before the Quidditch match started, James had mentioned how I'm moving in with him after the school finishes so I started on that happy memory, but it turned into when I was a werewolf, in fourth year, I remembered seeing three animals waiting for me. At the time, I didn't know who they were until I saw them transform back into human form and I just couldn't believe that three of my friends had become Animagi for me. That is my happiest memory."

"I didn't realise they did it for you." Lily muttered as she looked into Lupin's cheerfully sad eyes.

"James isn't the person you think he is, Lily. You'd be surprised at who he actually is."


	6. Home

**A/N: Sorry for the really long authors note last time. I'm no longer doing those cuz they get borrriiiing! But here's an FYI this chapter - and many more chapters to come - are moving quicker now. The previous four have been following one another whereas this one is set two weeks ahead of the last one. In my notes I've put this as somewhere around the 18th September (whereas the others have been 1st - 4th September)**

 **But before we continue, I want to thank funnyster16, Guest, Loveya0909 and Magicgirl91 for commenting recently. And thank you Magicgirl91 for pointing out an issue but I assure this is planned. Some of you may also have noticed that I have mentioned that Professor Scamander has been teacher of DADA for four years but as we know voldemort applied for the job between 1957 - 1975. Without giving too much away, I believe voldemort would come back when he's stronger and has more followers to try and over throw Dumbledore, obviously fails. It's not until he's defied three times does he jinx the position. (We all know he's got an issue with threes.)**

 **IDK its just a fun twist and enough give aways, on with the reading. Follow. Fav. Share. Review. x**

 **PS. A flapjack isn't a pancake, America, its a baked oat bar of goodness. Google it.**

 ** _Disclaimer: J K Rowling is Yoda and we are her Padawan's_**

 _Chapter 6 - "All I want is to be home" - Foo Fighters_

 _(News)_

Lily was dreading today. She had woken up early, like usual, with a colossal pit in her stomach. Perhaps it was due to the fact no one had yet managed to figure out how to communicate if a crisis occurred. Lily hadn't expected a miracle, she understood everyone is busy trying to keep up with the workload, but it didn't settle her nerves for if Voldemort did show up. Or maybe it was because her parents hadn't replied to her last letter. They had written to say they had assumed Petunia had sent an invite and that they were going to watch her send the next one. Lily had replied back four days ago.

 _Or maybe_ it was because the mentor meetings hadn't gone as planned. The first one, which happened two weeks ago, all the upperclassman, apart from Remus and Emmeline, had all managed to find themselves elsewhere while the youngsters were all eagerly waiting. The same thing happened the second time but Professor McGonagall had walked in, appalled that the older students didn't want to help. It had to have been the first time in Hogwarts history three years worth of pupils had been given detentions. Today, Professor McGonagall was going to be present and Lily hoped everything would go smoothly.

"Urgh." Sirius exhaled as he sat down opposite her. It had become a regular occurrence for Lily and one of the Marauders to be having breakfast earlier than the others. "Is there any way I can swap 'buddies' with someone else? Please?"

Lily smiled, evilly, "I thought you would have liked Murdina."

"Don't be a sod, Evans. You know she's Fenella's younger sister."

"You'll have plenty to talk about then."

"Sweet Lily, _Love,_ can't you just pull some strings with our good friend Minevra and sort this out for me?"

"Karma's a bitch, Black, get used to it."

Sirius smiled and proceeded to pull a kitchen roll wrapped gift from his pocket. "I was gonna save this for later but here, take it."

"What are you talking about?" She asked as she took the present. It was a large piece of cranberry and white chocolate flapjack he'd snuck out of the kitchens this morning as it was still warm. After seeing the sweet snack, Lily knew what he was on about. She felt a blush appear on her cheeks. "How do you even know, Black?"

Black whispered. "Evans, I've had your 'monthlies' on my calendar for years now. It used to be because you'd be extra shouty and I'd try to avoid you. Now, I just know when to give you extra sweet things."

Lily could feel her blush deepen. She averted her gaze from him and continued to eat her breakfast in silence. Sirius had been giving her sweets and pudding when she was on her period for the last two years and she hated the fact he'd actually put it on his, so called, calendar.

"I can't change your buddy, Sirius, and McGonagall sure isn't now after you abandoned the last two meetings." She said, still looking down at her food. "Abercrombie junior is the polar opposite to Fenella, you might get on better."

"You sure about that? She won't want to poison me for dumping her sister?"

"Not all siblings get along." Lily whispered. "Have you seen Regulus yet?"

"No. We send each other our timetables so we don't run into each other. It's better that way"

"Did you hear he's the new seeker for the Slytherin team?"

"Let's hope my parents don't show up then."

"If what you've said is true about Mrs Potter, I'm sure she'd be there for the Gryffindor Slytherin match to watch your back and cheer you on."

Sirius chuckled. "We'd have to restrain Mrs Potter because she _will_ attack my parents when she sees them."

Lily smiled and, finally, looked up from her breakfast. "Would that be such a bad thing?"

"No. It would be entertaining. My parents would get their asses handed to them, you'd be meeting you future in-laws and Gryffindor would win the House cup. Sounds like a great day to me."

She glared at him but didn't give a response.

"Can't _you_ swap with me?"

Sirius and Lily both looked to the archway to see Marlene, Emmeline and Mary walking down the aisles, towards them. Marlene was walking towards Sirius and was shouting her request across the table at the other two.

"You can't swap." Sirius grumbled as the three girls sat down. "I've already checked."

"Says who?"

"Me." Lily said. "I'm sorry Marlene but the person you've got can't be changed."

"But he's nothing like me. He's boring and plain like Emmy."

"Gee, thanks."

"You know what I mean. And Vance's buddy is Coote, our new reserve beater."

"So you think just because you and Coote are beaters that you should be paired together?" Lily asked.

Marlene nodded.

"How do you know your buddy isn't going to be a Quidditch player?"

She shrugged. "It just doesn't make sense why I'm paired with Vance's mini me and she's partnered with mine."

"And what's a matter with yours Mary?" Lily asked, aggressively. "Are they the embodiment of the antichrist or do you just not like the way their hair falls?"

"In Divination, my tea leaves told me to watch out for a person with the initials R and S."

"That could of meant your ex, Ralph Stretton, you idiot." Marlene laughed.

"Hey, I'm avoiding mine for a valid reason." Mary glared.

"Reading tea leaves isn't a valid reason. Every time you translate them, they tell you you are going to die."

"At least I'm not ignoring mine because he's boring and plain like Em."

"I'm right here." Vance snapped.

"You know what I mean."

"Have you got anymore flapjack in your pocket?" Lily whispered to Sirius.

The three girls continued to argue throughout breakfast. When the other three Marauders showed up, Sirius got up and motioned them to walk further down the table to eat their breakfast in peace. Lily couldn't blame him.

The only time they shut up was when the post arrived and the title on the _Daily Prophet_ made them forget about everything.

 ** _'Dark Lord Has Killed A Muggleborns Family'_**

 ** _by Rita Skeeter._**

 _The Dark Lord and his followers have claimed to have taken the lives of a muggle family, who have a child at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardary, some time last night. The muggleborn student, Gryffindor sixth year Luke Quinn, has been informed this morning and is currently in protective custody._

 _His parents and younger sister were found this morning by a muggle neighbour who heard a disturbance. The Aurors were notified shortly afterwards as a near by witch saw the Dark Lord's symbol, The Dark Mark, above the house. She made these comments to the paper. "Our little village is quiet and non-magical. For something like this to happen is beyond me. How did He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named know where this family lived? Wall Heath will be talking about this for years to come as a tragedy while the magical world will forget because this is only the start of whats to come." Ministry wizards have sealed off the area and are conducting an investigation._

Lily didn't bother to read the rest. There was nothing more to say. Voldemort had managed to find out where families, of muggleborn students, lived. He hadn't left a request or a demand because he didn't need to this time. Muggleborn parents and siblings were in danger. Lily knew where Wall Heath was. It wasn't too far away from her home.

"Evans." She heard a soft far away voice say. She didn't respond because she was too busy worrying about her parents and what everything in the paper meant. They were in danger. They hadn't responded to her last letter. They could already be dead.

"Lily." The voice said but this time clearer and she knew who had said it.

"Not now, Potter." She grumbled as she got out of her seat, still holding the newspaper, and walked away from her friends into the cold, deserted Entrance Hall, alone.

 _(Distraction)_

"For Merlin sake," Lily said under her breath as she walked into her own room, throwing the newspaper onto her bed. She turned around with her hand ready to swing the door shut on his face. "Potter, I told you not now."

"That doesn't mean leave you alone." He smiled, casually. "Can I come in?"

"Only if you tell me how you manage to get up the stairs?"

"That's a secret between me and the tower."

Lily rolled her eyes. "You are not coming into my room."

"Fine. I'll just sit out here." James said as he sat down, rested his back against the bannister and rummaged in his back pack for something.

"What are you doing?"

"Just sitting here doing my Transfiguration homework. What are you doing?" He asked, poignantly.

"I was just going to…" Lily began, pointing behind her.

James lent forward and patted the floor in front of him. "Sit. Relax. Do homework. Read one of you muggle books."

"Why? Worried I might do something stupid?"

"Oh, I'm counting on it. The only way out of your room is through this door, Evans, and your not getting passed me."

"What about my lessons?"

"We've got the same ones today."

"You've got Arthimancy while I have a free period and I have History of Magic while you have a free. That's the perfect time to do something stupid."

"Padfoot and Mooney will be with you the _whole_ time."

She glared at him and sat down. "Lucky me."

Lily leant with her back against the open door with her head resting upwards. She closed her eyes to concentrate coming up with a plan for how to help her parents. She needed to help them _today_. She _needed_ to leave to put up protection spells and _obliviate_ all traces of her presence in the house, but James was in her way and she hated how James knew she was going to leave.

"I know you don't want to talk—" James started.

"I'm not having this conversation with you, Potter." Lily said, angrily and with her eyes closed. _I don't need you to be talking. I need to figure out a plan to get rid of you and get out of this castle so I can get home._

"Why not? I'm here and I have ears."

"I'm not going to talk to anyone about it."

"But Dumbledore —"

"James, everything is fine." She lied.

"What about Mary? She needs someone to talk to. Marlene's no good and I know Emmeline tries her best but she doesn't know what it feels like to a muggleborn."

"I'm trying not to 'feel' at the moment so Emmy might be the best option for Mary." Lily exhaled and looked at James. "I don't even know where MacDonald is."

Potter smiled and pulled out a tatty parchment from his robe pocket. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

"Do you keep that map with you at all times?" She asked as she leant forward to get a proper look at the map. She knew which exit would lead her to Hogshead so that wasn't an issue. Lily needed to map to make sure Finch or another teacher weren't present to catch her.

"Its either with me or the other three have it."

Lily continued to gaze at the intricate magical map and came up with an idea for how she could be separated from James. "We should go look for the hidden safe place tonight."

"We?"

"Gryffindor. We've got everyone in the common room tonight, hopefully, and we should ask them to go in their pairs to look for this safe place we talked about at the prefects meeting. The upperclassman will know what it's for and the younger students will think they are getting top secrets of the castle." Lily smiled, excitedly as her plan was forming in her mind. "I need a distraction and this is, kind of, helping."

"Oh. Sounds good. " James smiled back, a little falsely. He looked back down to the map and pointed at were the ' _Mary MacDonald_ ' sign floated. "She's in the toilets on her own."

"Urgh, not that one."

"What's a matter with that one?"

"It's where Moaning Myrtle lives." Lily grumbled as she rested her head on her hands.

"Who's Moaning Myrtle?"

"She's a ghost. How have you not heard of her before?"

"I thought it was just something you girls had started to call your periods or something like that."

"Idiot." Lily laughed. "She travels in the pipes around the castle. Some guys saw her in the boys toilets last year."

"Aren't you going to go talk to her then?"

"I can't." She whispered, defeatedly. "There's nothing I can say to make anything better."

"She knows that but just being there, with her, says more than words can."

Lily felt incredibly selfish when the words escaped her mouth. "I just can't, James."

"Okay, what can you do?"

"I can pass on our find-the-hideout-but-don't-tell-the-younger-ones plan to the upperclassman and the fourth years."

"Wouldn't it just be easier to tell my team and then they can pass it on?"

"Fine. Dearborn would probably get it done quicker than me anyway."

James smiled, a little unsure of what to do next. Lily noticed and reluctantly said, "You can stay as long as you keep your mouth shut and help me on this Transfiguration question."

"As you wish."

 _(Lunch)_

Potter had kept a watchful eye on Lily throughout the morning. He even made Remus 'observe' her during their History of Magic class while he had a free period. Everything came back as 'nothing seems to be the problem' but he could tell something was up.

"Why do you think she's gonna run away?" Peter asked as he chomped down on his sandwich.

"Because it's exactly something I would do." James replied as he looked down the table to see Lily sitting with Emmeline and Marlene, but wasn't taking part in the conversation. Mary was nowhere in sight. Maybe MacDonald was avoiding Evans as much as Lily was avoiding her.

Sirius managed to restrain his tongue from saying anything stupid because he could see his best friend worrying over Lily. (Remus had also given him a kick in the shin.) Instead, Padfoot said, "Lily isn't the type of person to just take off."

"She is if someone she cares about is in danger."

"What the hell did you talk to her about, then?"

"She didn't want to talk about it so we just did homework, spoke about what to do later at the 'buddy' meeting and used the map to see where Mary was."

"You've got to hide the map." Remus stated. "And the cloak."

"It's on me at all times. She's not gonna steal it from me."

"Please." Sirius laughed. "She wouldn't have to do much for you to pass it over."

James looked at him confused.

Black continued, "If she unbuttoned a few on her shirt, rolled her skirt up and started flirting with you, you'd be all goo-goo eyes. You wouldn't notice her stealing anything, let alone a bit of parchment."

"That doesn't sound like her." Peter chuckled. "She'd probably use a knock out spell."

"Or you'd just give her the map." Remus stated.

"Is there a scenario where I'm not an idiot?" James asked, glaring at this three mates.

"No." The three guys laughed in unison.

"Great."

"It's alright, Prongs. If Evans came to me for help, I'd probably help her too." Sirius admitted.

"You'd help her leave?"

"We don't know what she wants to do. Maybe she just wants to go make sure her parents are okay and safe, then she'll come back as if nothing has happened."

"But what if she leaves forever?" James hadn't meant for that to be said out loud, he immediately regretted it, but he had been thinking about it all day. Lily could go back home, take her parents anywhere in the world and forget the life she had as a witch to protect her family. His insides started to hurt at the thought, it was an excruciating pain.

"Prongs, mate, if she didn't want to come back to Hogwarts, she wouldn't have got on the train."

"Sirius is right, for once." Remus smiled, reassuringly.

"I'm right all the time when it comes to women."

"Where's Dippet then?"

"She's sitting on her table with her brother."

"Why?"

"Because I said something she didn't like and had a go at me."

"Did you apologise?"

Sirius grumbled. "No."

"And that is why you don't listen to Padfoot about girls, ever."

"Stop laughing Wormtail. What about you—"

James sighed and let his friends argue about how much of an idiot they all were. He had to decide if he wanted to help, how much he trusted himself to say no to Lily and how much he trusted her.

 _(Distraction Too Late)_

While replanting a blood eating flytrap, Audraius Duo, Lily found time to think of her escape plan. Firstly, she needed to get the Marauders Map and then she had to be on her own to go through the secret passage to Hogsmeade. When she got into town, thats when things got complicated. Lily knew she couldn't apparate that distance and there wouldn't be any time of transportation available to get her back home. _Hang on,_ she thought, _there is the Knight bus._

"Lily, watch your finger." Emmeline said quickly.

Evans woke up out of her thoughts and used the freezing charm on the plant before it had chance to bite her finger and suck the blood out of it. "Cheers, Em. I was thinking of…" Lily thanked before her mind wondered back off to other pressing matters.

"Are you alright?"

"Life must go on."

"Oh, Lily." Sophia Dippet sung, from the other side of the workbench, next to Marlene. "You don't have to tough it out. You've got your two best friends here to listen."

The redhead tried not to glare but it was getting hard not to get annoyed by the frivolous nature of Dippet, sometimes. "I'm fine, Sophia." Lily smiled, falsely. "They should be more worried about Mary."

"I haven't seen her all day." Vance mumbled, upset.

"She's been in the toilets with Moaning Myrtle." Marlene and Lily said at the same time.

"If you've know where she's been, why haven't you spoken to her?" Lily asked at McKinnon.

"Why haven't _you_?"

The three girls knew why but Lily didn't want to give the reason because it would make her a coward. Evans recalled what Marlene had said about how making things real made everything hurt more and she understood it. She'd been pushing all her emotions down to not feel anything because if she felt just the tiniest amount, everything would hurt too much, and talking to Mary would do this.

Herbology seemed into silence for the rest of the lesson. Someone had tried to pass her a note but she didn't look at it. When class finished, she headed up to the Library, on her own, for a double free period.

Once she arrived, and sat down at the usual table, another person joined her to her surprise.

"What the hell are you doing in the library?" Lily asked Sirius as he sat down opposite her in a casual manner. As soon as she said the words she knew why. It was her time to be watched by Black while Potter was in class. "Wouldn't it be easier if you just kept checking your stupid map to see where I am instead of following me everywhere?"

"Don't insult the map." He replied as he got out his books. "I know you want it."

"I don't want it."

"Sure, _Love._ Besides, I don't have it."

"Does Potter always keep it or do you have a rota?"

"Why does it matter?"

"Because I would do _anything_ for that map." She said, flirty and mockingly.

"Anything?"

Evans laughed. "If you believed that, you would have the map yourself. And besides, you distracting me won't work because I've already concocted my plan."

"And what is the plan?" He asked, leaning forward in his chair, intrigued.

"If James thinks I'm going to escape tonight, I'm not." She lied, convincingly. "I'm going to stay here and do what I can to help make sure every student in here is safe."

"What do you want the map for then?"

"I don't want the fucking map!"

Madam Pince gave a sharp "shh" from the other end of the room which silenced everybody's hushed conversation.

"I spoke to Sophia on the way here and she said you need to talk to someone, Lily." Black muttered, quickly afterwards.

"Dippet knows nothing about me."

"The friends who do know you, all agree with Sophia." Sirius whispered and looked straight into her eyes, full of worry and concern. "Talk to me."

Lily shook her head, holding back tears. She looked away from him, hiding her face in a curtain of red hair, but he had seen the water building up in her eyes.

"Talk to Remus or one of the girls, then."

Again, she shook her head.

Sirius sighed, heavily. "Lily, we all want to help you the best we can. Everyone is here for you when you want us, okay?"

"I know." Evans said, shakily. "It just sucks."

"Thats one way of putting it."

Lily spluttered a laugh. "So you apologised to Sophia then?"

"How'd you know?"

"Marlene told me. Her and Dippet are always together."

"I know. It's creepy. I didn't think McKinnon had friends, let alone any outside of Gryffindor." Black said. "I haven't said I'm sorry but she was worried about you so told me."

"That was nice of her. And you should apologise to her."

"But we don't say that after we've fell out?"

"Thats because we are stupid and just get on with life after we've forgiven each other, on the inside. But, if we were dating and you'd upset me, you'd have to say you're sorry."

"When do you wanna go on this date then, _Love_?"

"It wouldn't end well for you."

"You sure about that?"

"Yes because I'd rock your world and break your heart at the same time."

"Ouch, Evans." Sirius chuckled, holding onto his chest. "You break my heart all day, every day. And you'd break it to a million pieces if you left without saying goodbye."

 _("…I couldn't stay…")_

Lily sat on her bed, with a plain piece of parchment and her quill at the ready to write, hating Sirius. His last comment in the library had stuck with her for the rest of the day, gnawing at her brain. She knew she was only going to be away for a day but what if it took longer to make sure her family was safe? Lily hadn't thought about it until Sirius had said about ' _…saying goodbye'_ and she was hating him for it because she had to write him a letter, just in case.

 _Dear Sirius,_ she wrote after some time but couldn't think of anything else to write. It was too hard, emotionally, to write. She needed all her feelings pushed right to the back of her mind and locked away so she could keep her strength up for what was about to come.

"Meow." Pepper, Vance's cat, purred as he brushed his face against Lily's arm.

Evans smiled at the little black cat and picked it up for a cuddle. "It must be so much easier being a cat." She whispered to it as the two of them bumped heads.

 _Knock. Knock._

Lily, still holding the cat, walked over to her door and opened it.

"Are you sure you're not turning into an old cat lady?" James smirked as soon as she opened the door. "Does Emmeline know you have him?"

She shrugged. "Can I help you with something?"

"I thought it would be easier to sort everybody out now so when McGonagall shows up everything looks good and we can get on with the plan."

"All the fourth years and above know what to do then?"

James nodded. "The news travelled ridiculously quick. Even Abasi and Abbot heard about it so it might be manic tonight if three houses are looking for a hideout."

"Okay. We need to get ahead of them then." Lily said as she shut the door and placed the cat on the floor. "Oh Merlin, why do we have to make this sound like a competition between Houses?"

"If there's only one good hiding space—"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it." She sighed and put her two hands together, closing her eyes. "Dear Hogwarts Castle—"

"What are you doing?"

"Praying to the castle, duh. Dear Castle, can you please gift us with magical hideouts for all the four Houses and a few more as decoys. Thanks. Ahmerlin."

James looked at her quizzically. "You're weird."

"Thanks." She smiled. "So, how's James Potter going to get down the stairs without giving his secret away?"

"Come on, Lily." He laughed and grabbed her hand whilst he stepped down onto one of the steps. "For old times."

Lily tried to pull him backwards but the spell had already worked. The steps turned diagonal to form a slope and her feet went from underneath her. Her back hurt on impact but she was laughing along with James. They kept going in a spiral, for a few floors, before tumbling into a crumbled heap on the floor full of laughter and dizziness.

"Mr Potter. Miss Evans!" Professor McGonagall shouted from across the common room, which stopped all hysterical behaviour by the two seventh years. Slowly, Lily lifted up her head from the floor to see the Professor walk over to them. "What do you think you are doing?"

"Er—" Evans mumbled as she tried to think of a good explanation.

"Nothing unusual, Professor." James said as he stood up and helped Lily up. He held onto her hand longer than she had wished but it seemed to catch McGonagall's attention and change her expression from anger to something Lily couldn't work out. "I thought the time for the buddy meeting was at half seven, Professor?"

"You are correct, Potter, but seeing as the last two went terrible _I_ thought it would be best to show up earlier to make sure everything is running correctly."

"Tonight, Professor, we had a game planned to get everyone working together." Lily said, trying her best to get her hand free without it looking too obvious. "But it's not in the common room and the fourth years are taking part."

"What's the game?"

"Muggles call it orienteering. Its—-"

"I know what it is, Evans." The Professor nodded. "Seems like a good idea. Once everyone is paired up and out of the common room, I will trust that the two of you will see that everyone gets back before curfew."

"Yes, Professor." The Head Boy and Girl responded.

McGongall nodded one last time with a slight smile on her face before she walked back to the front of the room.

"Let go of my hand." Lily whispered aggressively.

"You can keep it, sweaty palms." He replied, let go of her hand and walked over to his usual armchair.

She followed him and sat down on the sofa. "Sweaty palms are your thing, Potter."

James shrugged as he sat down in 'his' chair with his arms resting high on the sides. "I just saved us from detention, Evans. If you want to get one, keep arguing stupid things as if nothing has changed."

"Nothing has changed."

"Thats not what Minevra saw."

Lily glared and pouted, slightly. "Thank you then."

"I didn't hear that."

"You heard it perfectly, you git."

James winked. "So, what are we going to do while everyone else is running around the castle?"

"You go one way, I go the other way."

"We're not splitting up, Evans."

"We'd cover more of the castle that way."

"Sorry to butt in, but I'm butting in." They heard Sirius say as he walked over to them from the entrance way. He sat down, ridiculously close, to Lily and rested his arms over the top of the sofa. "Am I getting in the way of something? Actually, I don't care. _Love—_ "

"Since when have you called her _Love_?" James asked, aggressively.

Sirius ignored him, and so did Lily. "—can you put a protective spell over me just in case Abercrombie Junior attacks me?"

Lily sighed and did as Sirius requested. "Listen," she whispered after she'd finished the protection spell and she made sure James wasn't going to eavesdrop. Marlene and Emmeline had walked in, along with the other two Marauders, not long after Sirius and were catching up with Potter before the evening's events took place.

"Arh, a secret." Black mumbled with excitement.

She wasn't too sure on what to say because the letter hadn't worked out. The only thing that could be said was a hug and thats what she did. Lily wrapped her arms around his torso, awkwardly as they were both sat down but facing each other, but it didn't matter because she could tell Sirius knew what this meant.

Sirius embraced her with the one arm that wasn't keeping them up, around her waist, and brought her in closer to him. No words were exchanged, not even when they let go, however he did give her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Spoilt the moment, Black." Lily laughed, rubbing the place he'd just kissed in disgust.

He smiled, cheekily, and gave her a wink.

The room was full by twenty past - obviously no one was leaving it too late for McGonagall to give out anymore detentions or all the upperclassman were just excited to take part in the 'game' - but Lily still couldn't see Mary. Evans knew she'd been there because all of the students had been paired together and, once McGonagall was satisfied and had left, the map had said she was with her buddy.

"We could just stay here." James said, as the two of them looked over the magical parchment, alone in the Gryffindor common room. "We've got the map which tells us everything we need to know anyway. And if people aren't back by curfew, we'll know where they are."

"No, look, no one has gone over this way." Lily stated, pointing to the empty area of the map, on the fourth floor, which was close to a passageway that lead to Hogsmeade.

"All hidden rooms and passageways on on this map. You won't find anything new."

"You could of easily missed something when you made it."

Potter scoffed. "I doubt it. We spent almost a year on this. We wouldn't miss something out."

"What if the castle listened to what I prayed for and it's magicking up with four more rooms?"

"I don't think it works like that."

"If it doesn't work then how does the Room of Requirement work?"

"It would be too easy if we just found four rooms that are unknown to me and the map."

"Hang on," Lily began, "Couldn't we just use the Room of Requirements? It changes to what the person wants it to be. So if someone wanted an indestructible room that couldn't be detected, then its the perfect place."

"I don't know. Everyone knows where the room could be."

"It's a better use of it than Sirius' birthday parties and all the other idiotic parties you throw in there."

"If they're so idiotic, why do you always go to them?"

Lily glared and got up from her seat. "Well, I'm going to take a look anyway."

She didn't wait for him. Lily exited the common room, without a glance backwards, and hoped Potter wouldn't follow her because she was unsure on how to get rid of him otherwise. The plan to get the map had failed but she had to continue without it.

On her walk to the fourth floor, Lily saw Gryffindors fleeting in, and out of, classrooms and other places in joyous manners. The younger students were loving the information the mentors were passing on, even Sirius looked pleased with himself next to Murdina, who in turn didn't look as angry as usual. Lily's heart sank when she saw Marlene with Coote but that can be dealt with on another day.

"Evans, wait up." Potter shouted at her from some distance back.

"Great." She said under her breath as she rounded the corner onto the fourth floor. "Potter, you didn't have to come, your map would have told you everything."

"Okay, okay, cut down on the sarcasm. The map _might_ have missed something."

"Did something appear?" Lily asked, excitedly.

James laughed. "It didn't show up anything new but if we find something, then I can add the location to it."

"So you have the map with you?"

He didn't respond but she could tell he did. As they walked further ahead, James kept giving her glances and holding his robe more taut on his left side. Lily needed to get the map because she needed to make sure James wouldn't follow her, if they got separated.

As quick as she could muster, Lily got out her wand, turned to face James with it pointed at him and said, "Give me to map, Potter."

James laughed, a little uncertain. "No, Lily. Put your wand away."

"No. If you don't hand it over, I'll use a spell on you."

"Why?"

"Because I've got to get home!" She snapped, hysterically as water filled her eyes. "My parents need me and I won't let anything stand in my way."

"You don't have to do—"

"I don't have a choice." Lily sighed. She looked into his hazel eyes before crying the charm, achingly. " _Immobulus._ "

James froze perfectly in place. She tried not to look into his eyes because she didn't want to see what he thought of her, at that present time. Lily walked over to him and pulled out the map from his robe and muttered, "I'm so sorry, James," before leaving him where he was.

 _("…Every direction leads me away…")_

The passage behind the mirror, on the fourth floor, was large enough for to hold a meeting inside. Lily didn't stop to take in the beautifully carved tunnel; she continued on towards the exit as if nothing was holding her back, but she couldn't help thinking about Potter and how she'd just left him there. Lily felt like she'd betrayed him, somehow.

After twenty minutes of walking in a straight line down a treacherous slope, Lily emerged from the rocky exit onto a back road of Hogsmeade. She hadn't ventured to this part of the town before. It was still the same as the main street but it felt older and more mystical. She looked left and right, unsure of which way took her to the high street, however she noticed a more well lit part of town in the distance and decided that was probably the best place to go.

Hogsmeade town centre, at night, was more beautiful than in the day. The old lampposts and a few windows, that showed people living, illuminated the streets, as many of the shops had closed for the night. The Three Broomsticks, at the end, was the only place open and was casting the most amount of light as jubilation's were still commencing. Lily choice to wait a few metres back from the pub, and stood a little in the dark to make sure she wasn't spotted, because it was known that a few teachers liked to go to the Three Broomsticks for a drink or two.

Once she thought she was unseeable, Lily raised out her wand and thought of the Knight Bus because she had no other idea on how to hail it down other than like you would a taxi. It was boring, all on her own with just her thoughts of pessimism and woe.

 _Focus up, Evans._ She thought to herself. _You are doing this to save your family._

Lily noticed, to her right, a figure walking towards her, in the darkness as if he was purposefully trying to stay out of the light. It was hard to make out who it was but she knew, in the mind set she was in, that she could take the person in a fight. "Fancy seeing you here." The irritating voice of the Head Boy said, as he got closer.

She groaned as it became obvious it was James. Tall, lanky, annoyingly unkept black hair. "How did you get yourself out of the freezing charm?"

"Miraphora found me. She said she was looking for Nifflers. I like her."

"Go back to the castle, Potter."

"I'd love to." He smiled and lent back onto the shop window next to where Lily stood. "But I'm looking for a person to take back with me, have you seen her?"

"You know I can't go back."

"And what are you going to do when you get home, Lily?"

"Erase their memories like I was going to before you interrupted me back in London." Lily replied, angrily. "If I can erase every living memory of me in that house then my parents are safe. They will no longer remember their witch daughter."

"There are other—-"

"There are no other ways!" She cried, no tears fell but water was starting to blur her vision. "James, you don't understand."

"But—"

"No, you do not get to tell me what to do. If this was your life, would you not go and save your parents?"

He nodded, gloomily.

"Exactly, so you can't say anything." Lily said, sharply, as a tear fell from her left eye. James had noticed and his expression changed to something she didn't want to see. Quickly, she turned her head away from him.

"Why are you hiding your face?"

"Because…I don't want you to see me cry." She whispered. Tears had started to stream down her face now. Lily could no longer stop them as all her feelings rose up from the depth of her subconscious and the whole idea of her parents forgetting was excruciatingly painful. It was so unbearable, Lily had to grab onto James arm to keep herself upright.

"I don't care if you cry, Evans." James uttered as he put his hand over hers. "You don't have to pretend to be strong with me."

Lily let out a little sob of a laugh and her grip on James' arm tightened as her heart began to ache. "Thats why I couldn't talk to Mary. I wasn't strong enough."

"I know." He said. "Come on, lets go back to the castle."

"Are you deaf, Potter?" She asked as she let go of his arm and looked at him. Lily didn't care if he saw her red, puffy eyes or tears running down her face anymore. "I'm still going home."

"Lily, there could have been an alarm put on Hogsmeade when you and I walked into town to tell a Death Eater someone's here? Or there's an Apparition charm so they can follow you to where you'll go?"

"I'm not Apparating home."

"Do you not think they'll be one on the Knight Bus?"

Lily glared at him but knew he was right. She hadn't thought about all the pawns Voldemort could have placed to help him find more muggleborn parents because she might not be the only one to have left tonight. The more she dwelled on her idiocy, the more she hated herself for being not her levelheaded self. "But how are my parents going to be safe?"

James didn't say anything but Lily could tell something was up because his neck twitched. "Are you going to come back to the castle now?"

"Not until you tell me what's going on? What are you hiding?"

"I'm not hiding anything."

"Sirius mentioned—"

"Lily put this on." James interrupted, he had seen something in the distance, and threw a long piece of fabric over the top of her head. "Stand back and be quiet."

She did as she was told because she knew it was the invisibility cloak. Lily turned her attention to the way James was facing to see two lights bobbing about. They were travelling at an alarmingly fast speed. The Knight Bus turned off it's invisibility when it reached Hogsmeade's town perimeter. Lily had heard about the bus, obviously, but she never would have expected it to be so looming. It's triple decker blocked out almost all of the light as it stopped in front of James.

"Evenin'." said the old bus conductor.

"Move." A figure behind the conductor demanded, in a hoarse voice. Lily didn't know who it was but James did, she could tell by how he had repositioned himself. The mystery man had a pale, pointed face with pale, long hair and wore a form fitted, dark green robe. "Arh, Potter."

"Malfoy, always a pleasure." James said, slightly mockingly. "Are you getting off here?"

"I don't think so," Malfoy scoffed. She knew who he was know. Lucius Malfoy had been in his last year of Hogwarts, when Lily was in her first. They hadn't crossed paths before but she knew he was a pureblood elitist, and a possible Death Eater. Lucius edged closer to the entrance way and looked out of the bus. Lily felt herself gasp because she knew what he was doing. He was looking for someone like her. "I just wanted to get some fresh air. What are you doing, Potter?"

"Same as you. The castle can get a bit stuffy with all the purebloods in the way." James said, hostility.

Malfoy smiled, evilly. "You should know, being one yourself."

"I'm not a prick about it, unlike you, Lucius."

"How dare you?" He whispered in disgust. "Did your parents not treat you any manners?"

"No. They were teaching me on how to be a blood traitor."

"You think you are so witty, don't you, Potter?" Lucius spat. "How are you parents, anyway? I didn't see them at the last gathering. Is your father ill, again, or is it your dipsy mother this time?"

James clenched his hands. "They don't want to be in company with the likes of you, Malfoy."

"We wouldn't want to be associated with people who are allied with mudbloods."

"I guess it works out for the both of us then."

Malfoy looked down on James. "The likes of you deserve to be—-"

"Watch your language, Lucius." The Head Boy tsked. "What would people think if you threatened James Potter?" The blonde didn't continued his train of thought, he just glared at James. "That's what I thought. Shouldn't you be getting back to Narcissi by now? You know how she gets."

Lucius gave one last glare before walking backwards onto the bus. The old bus conductor gave a bow of his head before the bus sped off.

James turned around and quietly said. "Don't take off the cloak and walk next to me."

Lily did as she was told because she was a little bit frightened. If James hadn't have stopped her, she would have got on the bus. If he hadn't have stopped her, a _possible_ Death Eater would know where her family was. If he hadn't have stopped her, the protection she'd given her family would have been ruined.

"James, I—-"

"Shhh." He hissed sharply and then turned it into a whistle. She understood the message after that; be quiet as well as don't be seen.

They didn't speak to each other until they walked through the passageway and were waiting outside the mirror, that led them back onto the fourth floor. "Leave the cloak on, but pass me the map." James murmured and tried to act casual. As soon as he got the map he whispered the phrase to get the map to work. Lily watched him look at it intrinsically. "You can take the cloak off now."

"Thank Merlin. It smells too much like Sirius in there." She said as she took off the cloak and handed it back to Potter. "I'm sorry I used the freezing charm on you and stole the map."

"Its okay. I would have done the exact same thing."

"And thank you for—"

"Anytime, Evans." James smiled and then looked back at the map. "The coast is clear and it looks like everyone is starting to go back to the common room."

Lily looked at her watch. "But it's only just gone nine."

"I guess we'd better go and see."

They both pushed open the mirror. Lily double checked that the corridor was clear and it was. "Do you think no ones found anything then?" She asked as they walked onwards in the direction of the Gryffindor tower.

"We'll find something eventually. You might be right about the Room of Requirement but we'd have to research it a bit more and test it."

Lily nodded. "With all of Gryffindor working together?"

"No, I think it's something the Head Boy and Girl should do together."

"I look forward to it." She grinned and then went very concerned.. "James, what Malfoy said about your father, is he okay?"

"A couple of years back my Dad got Dragon Pox and was cured but he's never really been the same since." James said, shrugging a little. "Malfoy was just trying to get a reaction out of me."

"And you mom?"

"She's fine, I believe. Being the only child of two older parents they don't really tell you too much in letters on how they are. They're too busy asking about Black and Lupin."

"Jealous?" Lily teased.

Potter laughed. "I couldn't wait for my mother to leave me alone. Sure, as a kid, I could do what I wanted but she was always too devoted to me, wound me up all the time. Then she finds out about Sirius and Remus, who've had a lack of a motherly love, and she's practically made their beds, washed their cloths and cooked dinner for them before they've even walked through the door. It's a relief to get her off my back."

"She sounds like a nice lady."

"She's alright." He shrugged with a smirk on his face, as they walked up the stairs to the Fat Lady. "How are you doing?"

"As expected."

"Lily—"

"Prongs! Lily!" Sirius' voice was heard shouting from the bottom of the stairs. They both turned around to see Black and Murdina walk up towards them. Murdina was the same in every physical description of her sister - ebony hair, snow white skin and red lips - but the younger sibling had a harder, grungier edge to her. "Are you alright, _Love_?"

Evans nodded with a smile, hoping that that would convince him otherwise. It didn't because he looked at Potter. They didn't exchange words but, like an old married couple, they exchanged looks that sad more than words could.

"Did you find anything?" Lily asked, trying to get the attention off of her.

"No," Murdina sulked, "Black did show me some cool ways to get to Hogsmeade and a place where all the parties happen."

Evans shot him a look. "Seriously?"

"I had to do something." He whispered. "We've got on, what more do you want?"

"I'd have preferred it if you hadn't corrupted a younger student."

"Okay, okay." James said. "Lets go inside."

Sirius gave Lily a cheeky wink and walked to the Fat Lady and said the password before walking into he noisy common room. Murdina followed and so did Lily but James caught her arm to hold her back.

"Lily," He began, empathetically. "About tonight. I'm sorry about the situation you are in but you need to talk to someone about this so you don't go running off again."

"I know. It's hard, though."

Potter nodded. He stood there, awkwardly, as he held her arm.

"Is there something else?" She asked, a little confused by what was stopping him from speaking, because normally he didn't have a mute button.

He shook his head and let go of her arm, but Lily knew what the matter was. He had felt a rollercoaster of emotions as well as she had. He'd felt betrayed, worried and saddened by her lack of trust; she could see it in his averted gaze. Lily's heart began to speed up in sorrow and pity for him because she hadn't thought what her actions might have caused for the people around her.

Without a seconds hesitation, she wrapped her arms around his torso and felt his envelope her too. She could hear his heart beating as fast as hers. It soothed her nerves and she finally let out all of the feelings she had developed over the last two weeks in hurting, woeful sobs.


	7. Hogsmeade

**A/N: Welcome back to another fun filled chapter. This one isn't so depressing, i hope. This is set roughly the first weekend of October, so we've jumped another two weeks onwards from the last chapter. I hope you enjoy our first** ** _official_** **trip outside of Hogwarts!**

 **I want to thank funnyster16, loveya0909 and sannique for commenting recently. I really appreciate all the reviews. Love ya. Follow. Fav. Share. Review. x**

 **PS. I've just got new job so chapters might be a little bit longer to write and post. Sorry babes**

 **PPSS. I'm changing the Quidditch matches around so that the Gryffindor Slytherin game isn't the first one of the year because there is too much stuff happening for Mr and Mrs Black, and Potter, to show up before Christmas. So It's going to be 1) Hufflepuff, 2) Slytherin and 3) Ravenclaw.**

 **PPPSSS. There is a scene that I do not own, I just liked it and have used it from a tumblr post I saw. I think the poster was jilyfied so thank you for coming up with such a great little arc. I'm just gonna tweet it to be nastier**

 ** _Disclaimer: J K Rowling is Gideon Graves and we are the other six evil exes._**

 _Chapter 7 - 'Who can even guess how much a real friend is worth?' - Paul Williams_

 _(Phora)_

"Evans, come on." Marlene shouted from the bottom of the stairs. Everyone was ready to go to Hogsmeade, and was waiting 'patiently' in the common room, but Lily was still floundering in her room, for some reason.

The redhead popped her head over the bannister and yelled back down. "I can't find my scarf."

"For Merlin sake, it's the hottest day of the year, you don't need a scarf."

"It's tradition."

McKinnon sighed and walked over to where the rest of the group were sitting to tell them why there was a delay.

"Did you tell her about the weather?" Emmeline enquired.

"No, Vance." Marlene said, sarcastically, and pointed to the window at the clear, cloudless sky and the overly bright sun. "I thought it would be obvious that it's gonna be bloody warm today."

James exhaled and slumped into his chair, as the two girls continued to snipe at each other. Lily hadn't been the same for the past two weeks. Everyone had noticed the dark circles under her eyes and her change in personality. She was no longer the levelheaded, vivacious Head Girl that everyone knew. She still told James off but he could tell she was the shadow of the person she used to be and it was killing him inside to see her become something she isn't.

Sirius gave Potter a look and whispered, as quietly as Black could. "Don't you have a scarf."

Prongs smiled and, quickly, raced to his room. He knew exactly where his scarf was and had it in hand for Evans, at her door, within two minutes.

"What's this?" Lily asked as she opened her door and looked worryingly at the red and gold scarf.

"It's mine. Take it." James smiled and held it out towards her. She continued to look at it, perplexed, so he wrapped it around her neck for her, in a way that covered all of her face.

"Urgh, it smells like you." She mumbled through the wool as she tried to detangle herself. Once she had the scarf off, she fashioned it back around her neck in a more stylish manner. Lily looked up at him, with a slight blush on her cheeks. "Thank you, James."

"Are you ready now?"

"I've just got to do something and I'll be down in a sec."

James nodded and waited for Lily to turn her back before he moved from the girls stairway without causing the stairs to turn into a slide. It was still a secret he was going to keep to himself. As he entered the common room he told the gang that Lily was nearly ready and that he'd meet everyone at the Entrance Hall.

"Entrance Hall?" Mary asked. "Aren't you gonna wait for us? Aren't you gonna wait for Lily?"

"I've got to meet someone. I don't want her to think I'm being rude."

"Her?"

"It's ungentlemanly to let a girl wait."

"Mate, I think they want to know who the girl is." Sirius muttered as he walked over to his friend. Before James could clarify who he'd invited, Black continued to talk. "As Prongs makes an excellent point, I, also, have to leave. Sophia _will_ be waiting."

The two best friends exited the Gryffindor Tower to a very empty stairway. The only sounds made were of the paintings, ghosts, and the occasional footstep of a poor first and second year, who aren't able to leave the castle yet.

"I assume you're not dating anyone because you would have told me." Black said as they waited for the staircase to move. "So who's the lucky girl?"

"Miraphora."

"Why?"

"Because she doesn't have any friends."

"So this is a pity date?"

"This isn't a date."

"Does she know it isn't a date?"

"Yes!" James exclaimed. "We are just friends. When you and Lily spend time together, does that count as a date?"

"Only in my heart."

"Be serious, Padfoot."

Sirius smiled, reassuringly. "I only see Lily as a best friend. Our relationship is purely platonic."

"I know, I know. I'm not saying it isn't. But its the same with me and Miraphora, and every other girl at this school."

"Other than our lovely Miss Evans." Black muttered, mockingly.

"Has Lily _talked_ to you recently?"

Black shook his head, knowing what Potter meant. "I don't think she's spoke to Remus about it, either. Does she know that we know she tried to run away?"

"Maybe. I do tell you guys most things."

" _Most_ things? It better be bloody everything, Potter." Sirius laughed and gave a cheeky wink. "Does Mina _really_ have no friends?"

"She has a few. Did you know about her before I was partnered with her?"

"Of course. She was the one that believe the fortune telling fish worked and only attended Transfiguration lessons to transform herself into a duck, or was it a ferret?" Sirius shrugged his shoulders as if it didn't matter. "Who cares? If the girl is cool, and from what you've told me she is, thats all that matters. I'll invite her to my birthday party, if you want."

"I was gonna do it anyway."

"You can take her to the Slughorn party as your plus one, too."

"I'm never invited to those even though my grades are good and I'm famous." James said, egotistically. "We have are own christmas party to plan and attend."

"You're Head Boy, Prongs, you have no choice but to go. Remus always goes and Sophia's part of the club so I'm going. Poor Peter will be the only one left not attended."

"Hopefully, I'd go with Lily."

Sirius wasn't listened and continued his train of thought. "We'd have to get Peter in somehow but then who'd host the 'Anti-Slug Club' party? I thought we'd have one last go at it but maybe we need to pass it on to someone else. Hey, do you remember when the Prewett twins passed it to us? Good times."

As the two best friends reached the Entrance Hall it was quiet and empty, except for three girls. Sophia had invited a friend along, fellow seventh year Ravenclaw Alana McLarid, and they both stood the furthest away from Mina as possible. James went over to Miraphora, whose hair colour had changed to a vivd orange colour, and greeted her in a friendly manner, along with introducing her to Black.

While shaking Sirius hand, Mina uttered. "Has anyone read your aura before?"

"Er, no." Sirius replied, a little unnerved, and let go of her hand. "Is it a good one?"

"Merlin, no. It says you're too mischievous and have a tendency to be a git."

James laughed. "She's got you figured out, Padfoot."

"Does it say how dashingly charming I am?" Sirius asked. "Or that I've got nice eyes?"

"I don't need to read your aura to know that." Mina replied as her two different coloured eyes, blue and hazelly gold, gazed into his stormy grey ones.

"A little flirty, are we?" Black hummed, nodding his head in approval. "You're alright, Phora."

"It's _Mira_ phora."

"I'm giving you a nickname, _Phora._ "

"Oh, I've never had one of those before."

"If you're a friend of mine, you have to have a nickname. How else will I remember you?"

Miraphora looked at Black puzzled. James snickered, "That's the git part."

"I see." She laughed. "You're a strange one, Sirius Black. Shouldn't we go to your girlfriend? I don't think she's happy."

Sirius opened his mouth, dumbstruck, as Mina walked over to Sophia, who was looking very confused at the Hufflepuff. "Did _she_ just call _me_ strange?"

Potter snickered some more and slapped his friend on the back. "I think you need to go to Dippet before Mina reads her palms and tells her she could do so much better than you."

 _(On the way to Hogsmeade)_

"What the _fuck_ is McLaird doing here?" Mary grumbled as she walked next to her three Gryffindor girl friends. They were at the back of the pack and were watching the three figures in front of them - Alana, James and Miraphora. "And someone needs to tell her her hair looks awful. What colour even is that…Swamp colour?"

"She's friends with Dippet." Lily replied, unsure of what Mary was trying to imply.

"Evans," Marlene began, already irritated. "Everyone is friends with Sophia _bloody_ Dippet. McLaird's only here because she's got a massive crush on Potter."

"I heard she'd made a voodoo doll of him from his hair." MacDonald laughed.

"Who tells you these things?" Emmeline asked.

"Chambers is always talking about how love stricken Alana is our Divination lessons."

"Urgh, Lucinda's such a bitch." Marlene complained.

"You're just bitter because she's your ex."

"No, she _genuinely_ is a bitch. Why else did me and her get along?"

Mary couldn't argue that. "Aren't you gonna do something, Lily?"

"Why? What am I going to do? James looks too busy listening to Miraphora to even know McLaird is there." Lily smiled, a little, as she observed the three ahead. Potter and Mina were in a deep, but laughable, conversation and McLaird was trying her best to get his attention by laughing along, touching his arm and 'accidentally' falling into him. The creature inside Evans didn't like that but it was reassured when James just brushed her off, as politely as he could, to turn back and continue his chat with the Hufflepuff.

"James?!" MacDonald squealed. "Since when has he been _James_ to you?"

"I've called him that before, Mary."

The blonde's screech became only audible to dogs after that. "I knew it! I told these two and they didn't believe me. Have you been secretly together for the past two weeks? I told them you wouldn't make people run around the castle for no reason."

"It was the find a hiding space, you idiot." McKinnon interrupted.

"You, and everyone else in Gryffindor, believe that bullshit?! Please. James and Lily wanted to be alone that night so they made it up. They were left on their own in the common room and then they are the last two to come back. It's so obvious. Oh Merlin, you've got to tell us everything!"

Lily hadn't told the girls what had happened a fortnight ago. She felt too ashamed of herself for not telling them how she felt and for not saying goodbye. Voldemort hadn't claimed to have taken any muggle, or muggleborn, life and her parents were replying to her letters quicker than what they were, so everything seemed to be fine. Even Mary was talking to her, again. But there was still a niggling itch in the back of her brain constantly telling her her parents weren't safe: it was keeping her up at night.

"Nothing happened, Mary."

"Would _James_ agree with you?"

"You know he wouldn't."

"What happened then?"

"We searched the castle like everyone else."

"Why were your eyes red then?" Emmeline piped up.

Lily glared at the brunette. "I don't know what your talking about."

"You can't keep hiding things from us, Evans. Your getting as bad as Marlene."

"There's nothing wrong with that." McKinnon nodded at the redhead, for she understood a secret had to be kept. "Lily will tell us, if she wants to, when she wants to. If something had happened between her and Potter, it would _not_ be a secret because he'd have screamed it from the Astronomy Tower."

Lily felt relieved for Marlene in that moment because the other two believed her and dropped the subject. Evans didn't pay attention to the rest of what the Gryffindor girls were talking about next for she was looking at Miraphora, who had stopped at the side of the hedgerow.

The redhead stopped next to the Hufflepuff to see if she was alright.

"I'm good." She smiled, but continued to look into the foliage. "Do you see them?"

Lily joined Miraphora and observed the leaves. She didn't see anything but dense green. "Erm, what am I meant to be looking for?"

"There." Mina whispered, pointing to a twig. "It's a Bowtruckle. I've named him Keith."

Once she was told it was a Bowtruckle, Lily could tell it was one. She'd never seen one before because she hadn't taken Care of Magical Creatures for her O.W.L.S but she knew of them from reading a book she'd borrowed from Lupin. The little tree creature smiled and waved at the two humans. "He's kinda cute."

"He was the one I looked after for my O.W.L. grade. I check up on him, when I can."

"That's, er, nice of you."

"I'd like to think if it was in reverse, he'd look after me." Miraphora said before gasping, suddenly, which made Lily jump. "Have you found a Niffler in the castle?"

"No but James said you was looking for one a fortnight ago."

"I took one from Professor Kettleburn, without permission, and I've, kinda, lost it."

Lily laughed. "If anyone can find something stolen it's Sirius, or Peter. I'd ask him for help."

"He's weird. He called me Phora earlier."

"It suits you."

Mina smiled. "Thank you Lily. Do you think we should go join up with the rest? My tea leaves this morning told me not to be left alone with one person for too long."

"Sure. We should go really slow so we can make James sweat it out."

"Sweat it out?"

"Yeah. "Sweat it out with worry.'" Lily explained as they walked away from Keith, and his hedge, towards the Hogsmeade high street, at a slow pace. "He'd be anxious that I'd be corrupting you against him."

"Wouldn't it be because you might leave again?"

Lily whispered, angrily. "How do you know that?"

"Potter told me. He didn't want to but his aura was all wrong." The sixth year Hufflepuff answered honestly. "I'm sorry about your parents, Lily. I worry about mine as well. There's a news broadcast, late at night, on the WWN that talks about muggle related incidents that have happened or not happened. It's a good place to check for up-to-date news — I can't remember the frequency number."

"You're a muggleborn witch?" She asked as she worked pieces out in her brain and remembered to check to wireless later that evening.

"No. I don't know what I am. My father is a muggleborn wizard and my mom's a half-blood — Is a quarter-blood a thing? — My dad works in a Ministry department that was attacked by You-Know-Who on the first week of September, if you remember, and I don't know what He'd do to my mother for being a blood traitor."

Evans muttered. "I didn't realise."

"It's alright. If everyone told everyone how their effected by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, we'd all be too busy feeling sorry for everyone and we'd not focus on what needs to be done to make sure the future don't have to go through what we have."

"Are you going for Head Girl next year? Because that's the type of spirit people need."

Phora laughed, an ugly snort laugh. "I don't think I'm popular enough for that."

"A friend of James' automatically makes you popular."

"I don't want to be though. It's quite fun being different."

"You must be getting us guys confused with the Cressida Flemings, and maybe Dippets, of the world who handpick their friends. James' group, _my_ group, we are all different and no one judges us for that."

"That's not what Abbot says."

"Yeah, well, Patricia is jealous because Potter didn't want to go out with her in fifth year."

"Really?" Mina giggled, quietly, as they walked onto the high street. It was incredibly hectic with all the students running in and out of shops. Lily could just make out the group: they were all waiting outside Honeydukes and were waving at them hurry up. James looked the most relieved to see them.

Lily shrugged. As the two got closer to Honeydukes, Lily asked the Hufflepuff a question. "Do you want to come to Sirius' birthday party this year? It's on Halloween."

"Hey," James said, clearly hearing the conversation. "I was meant to ask Phora to the party."

Miraphora smiled. "Sure."

"Can I come?" Alana asked James, hopefully, and stepped towards him.

"Sure, if you want to." He replied, impassive, as he placed an arm over Mina's shoulder and pushed her into Honeydukes. Quietly, he muttered into her ear but looked at Evans. "I'm buying you whatever you want in this shop because I owe you one."

 _(Eight Butterbear, please)_

Miraphora didn't want anything from Honeydukes. James paid for McLaird's Sugared Butterfly Wings instead, which riled up the monster inside Lily. She knew it was jealousy, she'd felt that emotion before, but she couldn't figure out why she was envious? It was common knowledge by everyone that Alana had a huge crush on Potter and Lily had seen her 'flirt' with him before, but this time something was different. Something she didn't want to explore and comprehend.

"You don't have to buy me anything, Potter." Mina said after Potter had pestered her a million times what she wanted. They'd also been to the Post Office, Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop and Zonko's. "Why don't you go in a shop you want to go in?"

"I'll do that later."

"Come on, we've got all the time in the world to do things later. Where do you want to go?"

Everyone was taken aback by the younger girl's authoritative manner. It was very out of character but James didn't seem that bit surprised. He pouted, a very Sirius pout, and muttered, "Spintwitches but most of the girls won't want to go in."

"I need to go in." Alana smiled, excitingly. She was the chaser for the Ravenclaw team. "I've got to get some broom polish."

The little green monster inside Lily hated this. It made her walk over the shop to everyones surprise. They questioned her and in return, she replied in an overly flirty manner, as she opened the shop door. "What? I've never been inside a Quidditch shop before, maybe it will be fun."

Lily didn't wait to see their expressions because, by the time she realised what she'd said, there was no taking it back and she felt embarrassed.

Spintwitches was like many shops in Hogsmeade: it was small, compact and filled from floor to ceiling with products of all kinds. Broom handles stuck out of the walls, snitches buzzed around like hummingbirds and various team merchandise brightened the walls with their different colours. She headed in that direction as the rest of the group made their way into the store.

"Nice one, _Love_." Sirius whispered, with a slight laugh in his voice, as he stood next to Lily, while she admired the banner of the Falmouth Falcons.

"I don't know what your talking about." She lied and turned to look at him.

"Okay, okay, we'll play the innocence card. Nothing happened. But who's gonna tell Prongs that?" Black smirked and pointed to James. Lily looked to see him with a massive smile on his face. "I don't think he's that happy to see Servicing Kits."

Evans punched him in the arm. "Shut your face, Black."

"Hey, I'm just stating a fact. You're wearing his scarf, he knows you like Quidditch —"

"I don't like this stupid broom sport."

"Mooney and Wormtail told us you like it, _Love._ You can't deny it. We know."

Lily sighed. "Do you sods share everything?"

"Pretty much."

"I'm not telling you anything then if you're just gonna blab it to Potter." She muttered, angrily, as she walked away from the annoyingly smiley Black. Lily wanted to dodge James but there wasn't enough room. All she could do was smile, politely, as she walked passed him, and thats what she did, but he caught her arm before she could get to the exit.

"I want to thank you for talking to Miraphora earlier." He said, as she stopped and stood next to him. "She likes you."

"I like her too. She's cool."

"She told me that you know, that she knows, what happened two weeks back."

"Don't worry about it. She explained that your aura told her." Lily giggled and then looked both ways to make sure the Hufflepuff wasn't near. "Do you think she can actually see auras?"

James shrugged. "She seems to get it right every time she mentions them, so I guess so."

"Has she read your palms or done Xylomancy on you?"

"No." He laughed. "Do you like your first Quidditch shop experience?"

"I've snagged my hair on a broomstick and it smells too much like polish." She complained, teasingly. " _So_ its not too bad. What did you want to buy from here?"

"These." James said as he held out the gloves. Lily knew that many players just wore the armoured Quidditch gloves but these were to be worn, underneath the protective gear, to get extra grip on the ball. These, however, were the beautifulest pair of leather gloves she'd ever seen. They were incredibly smooth and were a brilliant scarlet red. "They're made of Chinese Fireball hide."

"Dragon?"

Potter nodded.

"Wow. How much are they?"

"A little bit _too_ much."

Lily gasped, mockingly. "Is James Potter worried about money? I thought you were ridiculously rich."

"I don't _really_ need them." He shrugged, again, and placed the gloves back on the shelf. "Come on, lets go get a butterbeer."

"What about McLaird? Shouldn't we wait for her?" She said, holding back a laugh.

"I think she wondered off when I made it clear I'm not interested. Sophia went with her."

"And how did you do that?"

James tapped his nose. "Secrets."

"What about—"

"Evans, look around, it's not that big of a shop. Everyone's already waiting for us outside."

Lily smiled and nodded. She felt James', tentative, hand on her shoulder as they walked through the cramped, claustrophobic shop and out onto Hogsmeade's main street. The monster inside seemed to like it to Lily's disgust.

"Evans, get your _fucking_ bird off of me!" Marlene screamed, uncharacteristically of her. Inch, the beautiful snowy owl, stood proudly on McKinnon's shoulder. Mary, Sirius and Peter were crying with hysterics while Remus and Emmeline tried to help Marlene calm down. "It's digging it's bloody claws in!"

"Inch." The redhead said as she tried not to laugh. The owl listened, outstretched its wings and gracefully flew over to Lily's arm. It held a letter in its beak which Lily received after she gave the owl a fuss under his chin. Once Inch was satisfied, he flew back off into the sun, towards the Owlery, to leave Lily bewildered by the letter in her hands.

"You alright?" Lupin asked as he, and Sirius, walked over to her after noticing her expression.

"It's from my sister." Evans replied, still confused to her see her sisters perfect calligrapher handwriting. She shook her head and put the envelope in her bag. "I'll read it later."

"What if its important?"

Lily brushed it off and walked over to Marlene to make sure she was alright. "That bloody bird is worse than you, Evans." The blonde growled through painful breathes.

"Let me have a look."

"No. You and that killing machine can stay the hell away from me."

"Quit your whining, McKinnon, and sit down." Lily said, forcefully, and pushed the other girl onto the bench behind her. Lily saw where Inch's talons had marked Marlene's shoulder, it wasn't pretty, but Lily knew she could fix it. She pulled out her wand and began to sing the _Vulnera Sanentur_ incantation over the effected area. Lily didn't need to do it thrice as the wound wasn't severe. To finish it off, Lily whispered a cleaning spell, to get rid of some of the blood on her skin and clothes. " _Tergeo._ And your welcome."

"How do you know those spells, Lily?" Emmeline asked, in awe.

"You'd be surprised what you learn from just observing others." Lily smiled, she was pleased with herself. Every since she'd been visiting Remus in the hospital, Lily would always glance over and watch Madam Pomfrey so that she could perform those spells at some point in life, if needed.

Marlene was still glaring. "Your fucking owl needs a talking to."

"I've tried to but he won't listen."

"He must get it from his mother."

"Okay, okay, we get it, Marlene. Your pissed off. Let's go to the Three Broomsticks and get some butterbeers. I'm buying."

The Quidditch Beater nodded. "You owe me like ten."

"Agreed." Lily laughed as she outstretched her hand to help Marlene up from the bench.

They weren't far from the Three Broomsticks and by the time they got there, the pub was packed. Every student seemed to be inside getting something to eat and drink in the warm, cosy building. Lily made her way over to the bar, Remus followed, while the others tried to find a space big enough for everyone to sit.

When Lily reached the bar, she rested her arms over the top of the counter and waited patiently for Madam Rosmerta to take her order. Remus stood next to her and drummed his fingers on the wooden surface.

"How many butterbeers do you think?" Lily asked him.

Lupin looked over her head because he could see into the crowded room easier than she could. "They've sat next to Sophia, who's found Alana. And…there's Cressida and Harriet too. But they've all got drinks"

Internally, Lily groaned. "Is Kingsley there too?"

"No, he's sitting with Abasi." He replied. "Do you know why your sister has sent a letter to you?"

"I can't imagine it's going to be a pleasant read."

"Is that why you don't want to open it?"

Lily nodded. "I wanted today to be … _nice_ and if I open that letter, the day might be ruined."

"You've _got_ to open it today, Lily, because—"

"I know, I know. If I don't, it will be bothering me all night and I won't be sleeping _at_ all." She sighed. "I've just got to mentally prepare myself."

Madam Rosmerta saw Lily and made her way towards her. The barmaid was older than Lily but she couldn't be any older than twenty-five. She had piercing green eyes and wavy hair that was messily pinned back with her wand. There was an air of confidence around Rosmerta that many men, namely Sirius, found enticing and he was a favourite of hers too. "What can I get ya?" She asked with a smile.

"Eight butterbeers, please."

"Whose the girl with Sirius?" Rosmerta said, trying to be casual but was clearly jealous.

"Sophia Dippet. A Ravenclaw."

"She seems a bit too vanilla for him." The barmaid sighed as she passed over the drinks.

"Thank you." Remus smiled, taking four butterbeers with him as he manuveered towards the booth the others had occupied.

Lily smiled, too, as she placed the money on the countertop and took the last four drinks. "You could just click your fingers, Merta, and Sirius would be over here in a heartbeat. ' _Sophia who?_ '"

Rosmerta gave a cheeky wink before continuing to serve the other customers.

Evans made her way over to the booth, at the back and in the corner, with some struggle and delay. Professor Slughorn had collared her to ask about attending his Slug Club on Friday, Eustace Fawley tried to start a conversation and some third year ran into her. It was a miracle all the butterbeer had stayed in the pint glasses by the time she plonked them on the table.

"Cheers, Lily." Mary whispered as Evans sat down next to her. "Can you believe that McLaird is still here? I would have thought she got the message. And sodding Lucinda's here. All she's done is stare down Marlene since we've got here."

"I think Mar is holding her own pretty well." Lily said, nudging Mary to look at their friend who was glaring at the Ravenclaw across the table. "Lets hope they don't say anything."

But that was wishful thinking on Evans' part for McKinnon opened her mouth. "Nice to see you, Chambers. I thought you weren't coming back this year."

"Why?" replied Lucinda. Lily had never liked her. She had a very snobbish personality and always looked like she was eating something sour. She'd have been a perfect Slytherin. Chambers flicked her fake lavender blonde hair behind her shoulders and continued to speak. "I've got friends to see here."

"I don't see any. I thought all your friends were imaginary." The Gryffindor sniped back. Nobody on the table was talking, they were all too busy listening the tennis like match between the two exes. "Or are those just the different psychopathic voices in your head?"

"You've always been jealous of my Seer abilities."

"Mate, I've never been jealous of you in my life. There's nothing you have that I want. If you've got so many friends, go fuck off to them."

"I'd like to stay here and see you squirm."

"I'm not the one that ruined our relationship."

Lucinda rolled her eyes. "Are you still holding onto that grudge?"

"I tend to them like plants." Marlene hissed.

Chambers glared but didn't move out of principal of being there before McKinnon and they commenced their stare off once more. Everything could of gone back to how it was before but Fleming had to say something. "I heard you only dated Marlene to get the attention of Boot."

"That's the reason we broke up, Cress."

"What?!" Mary snapped. Lily was surprised and shocked that someone had used her best friend, Emmeline even put down her book. It was unclear on how the guys felt because all Lily could do was glare at Lucinda and hope that the spell she'd just mental cast didn't happen.

The atmosphere around the table became very icy towards Lucinda and she had no choice but to admit what she did. Well, that's what she should of done. Instead she got up and walked away in a huff.

"Oh my Merlin," Mary squalled as she reached across the table to give Marlene a hug. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"I thought it was just me and her that knew."

"Boot told me, but I made sure it stopped at me." Cressida said. "He can't remember that evening we spent together and I wish I could forget too. He wasn't very good."

"You _obliviated_ him?"

"You might be surprised but I actually like you girls and I wouldn't want some ditsy fake blonde or shit bloke hurt you guys."

Marlene gave Cress a half smile and nodded which is technically a hug in McKinnon's world.

"Those are two of my friends you're talking about." Alana stated.

"Urgh, fuck off McLaird." MacDonald growled. "No one wants you here."

Alana was taken aback by Mary's rudeness and proceeded to get out of the booth to follow after Lucinda.

"I'm really sorry Marlene but I've got to go." Sophia said as she took Marlene's hand in hers.

McKinnon nodded. "I understand, they are _your_ friends."

Dippet squeezed her hand one last time before she followed the other two Ravenclaws. Nobody knew what to say to Marlene. Nobody had known why their relationship had ended nor did they know how McKinnon actually felt about the break up.

Lily was too far away from her friend to console her but, in her place, Sirius gave the blonde a side hug. "Thank Merlin they've left. I would have hexed them hideous blonde highlights out of her hair for you."

Evans looked at Lupin to see what he thought of this for she didn't want her friend to be hurt by this interaction. He shook his head to not interfere because Marlene was laughing and smiling, but Lily couldn't shift the need to protect her friend from Black.

Yet the more time spent at the Three Broomsticks, the more obvious it became that Sirius had a thing for Marlene too. He had his arm draped along the back of the booth, behind her, and was still trying to make her laugh. It didn't matter if everyone else was talking over them because all that matter to them two was each other. Lily's protective streak eased at seeing this for she no longer believed he was dragging Marlene along.

"See?" Remus whispered, having noticed what Lily must of.

"His Amortentia didn't work so he can't be in love with her. I know you said that he has feelings for her but does _he_ know he does?"

"I don't know. You and him are similar."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you two are both clueless."

"Do you think I'll ever work it out?"

Remus smiled. "Lily, all you've got to do is wake up and you'll see everything clearly."

 _(Bonfire Heart)_

"What's up with wanting a scarf, Evans?" James asked as he lolloped beside her, on their way back to the castle, after she walked passed him and Mina checking in on Keith the Bowtruckle. The group stayed at the Three Broomsticks for the remainder of the day. Mary had calmed herself down from cursing all Ravenclaws, Miraphora had read everyone's palms and Cressida had gained herself new recognition from the rest of the Gryffindor students by the time they all left together.

Lily had found herself lagging behind the rest of the group because she couldn't shake off what Remus had said to her. Yes it had been poetic, and she loved that, but it was incredibly vague and unhelpful. _If everybody know's who this God damn guy is then th— Maybe it's not a guy,_ she thought as her pace began to get slower and slower. _I've never assumed it wouldn't be a guy but maybe that's why I can't figure it out, because the person I'm in love with is a girl! Hmm._

"Earth to Lily." He laughed, which woke her out of her daydream. "What are you thinking about so hard?"

"Everything and nothing. Are you not gonna wait for Mina?"

"She said you had Wrackspurt's floating into your ears—"

"Wrackspurt's?"

"I don't know either." James snickered with a shrug. "Maybe it's something they learn in Care of Magical Creatures at N.E.W.T level. I'll ask Wormtail about it."

"I think I would have felt something go into my ears."

"Phora said they only go into ears if the person is unfocused. _So,_ what's up with wanting a scarf, Evans?"

Lily she looked down and fumbled with the fringing of the scarf. "It's tradition."

"Tradition?"

"Ever since the first Hogsmeade trip, I've _always_ worn my Gryffindor scarf."

"Doesn't yours have loads of holes in?"

"Hey, just because something is worn out doesn't mean you should throw it away. I know it's basically one yarn of wool but it's…memories." Evans sighed and laughed a little. "You must think I'm going mad?"

"I knew you were crazy the first time I meet you, Evans." He smirked. "And besides, there is nothing wrong with being nostalgic."

"Really?"

James nodded. "Yeah. I've got things I've kept hold of because they mean something to me. There's an old shoe in the bottom of my chest that Sirius chewed on the first time he turned into a dog; at home, all my old broomsticks are hanging on my bedroom wall. The scarf you have on is my lucky scarf."

She knew he was the overly superstitious type when it came to Quidditch. On the morning of a match he had to wake up on five past the hour, he had to make sure his toast was cut perfectly in half and, before walking onto the pitch, he'd turn twice on the spot. Lily, on the other hand, didn't know that his scarf, the one that he had given to her, was a lucky scarf. "Here," she said as she proceeded to unwrap it from her neck. "Take it back."

"No, no, keep it. If you wear it, it will bring me even more luck."

"No, no, take it. I'm not very good at keeping things in tact and I don't want to ruin something precious to you. I'm not very lucky, James."

He laughed, "It's a scarf, Lily. I can buy another one."

"But it's not just a scarf. If this is lucky to you, then it should stay that way." Evans smiled and handed him the scarf neatly folded as they stopped halfway along the bridge, that connected the grounds to the courtyard.

"I'm only taking it back on one condition."

"Uh huh, what's that?"

"You _have_ to wear it when we have a Quidditch match.

"Urgh, you're so lame, Potter." She laughed but nodded. "If we lose against Hufflepuff, I told you so."

"We've never lost against Hufflepuff."

"There's always a first."

James smirked and rubbed the back of his neck, awkwardly, a clear indication that he was going to change the topic. "Is there anything else that you want to do this year because it's tradition?"

"Erm," she began as she walked onwards, as the creaky old bridge didn't make her feel safe when standing still. James followed in tow soon after. "Sirius' Birthday and Slughorn's Christmas parties are _always_ tradition. There's Bonfire Night but we've never done it before—"

"Isn't that the Muggle festival where you put a person on a bonfire and watch fireworks?"

"It's not a real person, Potter. It's made of old cloths and straw, like a scarecrow." Lily pointed out to his smirky expression. "I know you wizards and witches don't celebrate it like us muggles so I've never brought it up, but before I came to Hogwarts, me and my family would always have a bonfire."

"I'm sure we can arrange that. It sounds like fun."

"It's on a night of a full moon so it doesn't matter."

"Does it have to be on a specific day?"

"Of course it has to be on a _specific_ day, James, it's a part of muggle history. There's a poem about it."

"There's a poem about lighting a person on fire?"

She laughed. "Let's agree that the magical world and the muggle world have the some batshit crazy rituals. But like I said it doesn't matter. Remus is more important than some silly muggle bonfire."

"It's not to you though, is it?" James said. "We can have this Bonfire Night on a different day and then it will be _our_ tradition."

"You can't just make something up—-"

"Of course you can, Evans. How else is anything created?"

Lily smiled, nodded and turned to walk in a different direction than towards the Great Hall for dinner. "I look forward to it."

"Where are you going?" He asked, worryingly.

"Don't panic, Potter. I've got a letter to read." She replied and patted her bag where the letter was. He knew where Lily was going and she had no doubt that he wanted to go with her to make sure she'd be okay, but her tone of voice made it clear that she wanted to read it on her own. Alone. "Check your map, if you don't trust me."

"I trust you."

"Good." Lily smiled.

"You've got all evening to read that letter so why not wait until after eating?"

"But what if it's bad news?"

James understood. "Lily, if there was any type of news regarding you parents, Dumbledore or McGonagall would inform you about it first. They'd know if something was wrong quicker than your sister would."

"Petunia has never written to me before, thats all." She replied, gloomily.

"You don't want to leave all the treacle tart to me, do you?"

Lily laughed and proceeded to walk into the Great Hall. "If you keep eating all the pudding, Potter, we will lose our Quidditch matches and that has nothing to do with luck."

Their friends weren't too far away from the entrance, and they were all in good spirits, however when the two latecomers showed up they all paused and watched the two of them carefully. Mary did more than the rest of them. "Where have you been?" She asked with raised eyebrows and a tone of mockery, as the Head Boy and Girl sat opposite each other.

"I've been walking." Lily replied, honestly and vaguely for she knew Mary was trying to read into why they were late together. Mary reached over to Lily, for she was sitting next to James on the opposite side of the table, and pulled out a chunk of Lily's auburn, wavy hair. "What the fuck was that for, MacDonald?"

"Lily Evans doesn't normally walk into the Great Hall all smiley and laughy with James _fucking_ Potter."

"How's pulling out my hair got to do with anything?"

"You could be McLaird and used Lily's hair in a polyjuice potion."

Lily was baffled. "Ask me a question only I'd know then if you're so concerned that I'm Alana. For Merlin's sake, Mary, look behind you. She's on her table eating dinner with all her girl friends and Sirius."

Mary began to chunter, under her breath, about how Ravenclaws thought they were all high and mighty.

"Does anybody else want to check that I'm me before I eat something?" Lily addressed the rest of the group in an irate manner. No one replied. "Good. Hey, McKinnon, pass the mash."

 _(You are cordially_ un _invited_ …)

Sirius wasn't in the best mood after Hogsmede. Sophia had collared him outside the Great Hall to have dinner with her and her friends. Normally Sirius wouldn't mind, for he had eaten with the Ravenclaw seventh years before, but after the news about why Marlene and Lucinda broke up, he couldn't shift his disinterest in them all, including his girlfriend.

He wasn't even paying attention to what they were saying, his bangers and mash seemed to be more entertaining, but his ears pricked up when he heard them utter a name. "Since when has Evans been all lovey dovey with Potter?"

Black looked up immediately. He saw them walk into the Hall and he couldn't help smiling to himself at how Lily was looking. Not that he stared at her too hard, or was being to think of her any other way but a sister, but he had never seen her look at Potter like that before. It might only have been subtle, but even from across the Hall, he, and the Ravenclaw girls, could all tell something was unfolding.

"And that is why I've been telling you to get over Potter, Alana." Lucinda yawned.

"But—"

"There's no buts, sweetheart. Find another man. Inglebee's free now he dumped that little Gryffindor gobshite."

Sirius glared at Chambers. "I think you'll find Mary _dumped_ him, aka the worst Quidditch player _ever,_ and Mary is _not_ a gobshite."

Lucinda pulled a face and the other girls giggled as if they all understood an inside joke. He tried not to look at Sophia but out the corner of his eye, he could see her trying to hold back a laugh. His insides squirmed at what Dippet was thinking but he held his tongue for he knew an argument would break out because, if Sirius Black was anything, he was loyal to his friends.

The rest of the time at dinner dragged on repulsively. The Ravenclaw girls went into harsh hushed whispers, while his Gryffindor friends could be heard having a whale of a time. Lily and James' laughter was strongest of all. Sirius felt an ache of longing when their jovial voices continued to echo through the room and, especially, when they all left to go back to the Common Room, without him.

"It's been lovely to chat to you ladies," Sirius said graciously but with a keen eagerness to leave as he rose from his seat. He looked at Sophia and winked. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"No, stay." Dippet cooed. "Let's go to the Library."

"But it's a Saturday evening?"

…

It wasn't his fault that he fell asleep in the Library. Nothing exciting happened. Two-face Chambers and Celeste Ackerley commenced with their Astronomy homework in quiet murmurs, and the rest of the girls, including Sophia, just read their books quietly with joyous expressions on their face. At one point Sirius had even considered walking over to Madam Pince to ask how her day had been than sit in the suffocating silence.

"Sirius." He heard Sophia laugh and then felt her shake his shoulders. "Wake up."

"I'm awake, Soph, I've just had my eyes closed." Black replied, still with his eyes closed. "What's the time?"

"Just gone eleven."

He opened his eyes with a curious expression. "Then how are we still in the Library when curfew is ten? Did Madam Pince die or something?"

"No. She lets _me_ stay in for an extra hour sometimes."

"Why?"

"I help put books back." Sophia shrugged as if it was nothing. She quickly smiled and her blue eyes twinkled with mischief. "Is the Library too boring for Sirius Black?"

"Well, when your beautiful girlfriend says 'lets go to the library', on a Saturday, a guy doesn't think the girls' friends will be tagging along and he definitely doesn't think studying will be going on."

"Then what would we b—" Sophia began before realising what he meant. Her cheeks reddened with the thought. "Sirius Black." She gasped as she played the innocence card, but he could tell in the way she had positioned herself that she quite liked the idea. "A library isn't used for … rendezvous!"

"You'd be surprised."

"That doesn't mean you should fall asleep."

Black shrugged.

"You don't see me falling asleep, or be in a mood, when I'm with your friends."

"My friends don't bitch about your friends." Sirius argued, quickly. A sharp hiss was heard from Madam Pince's direction.

"Please. Mary hadn't been nice to Alana all day and don't pretend you all weren't bitching about Lucinda when she left the table."

"Of course we were! She used Marlene to get into Boots pants."

"That—"

"No, you can't try to justify what Chambers has done!" Black snapped. Madam Pince's gainly figure loomed around a bookcase and pointed her bony figure at them to get out the door. He wanted to tell the librarian to 'fuck off' but he did not want to get a detention; so instead he did as he was told and stormed out of the room. Once Dippet was also outside, he continued his conversation, but in a quieter tone. "Merlin sake, Soph, I thought Marlene was your friend."

"She is my friend but—"

"No, if she's your friend then you should realise that your other friend pulled the shittest move ever."

"Why are you even bringing this up?"

"Because your friends are ridiculous! Your friends are people users."

" _My_ friends are people users?! Sirius, you hang around with MacDonald and Flemming."

"I don't _hang_ with Cressida, she just kinda appears and clings on. And Mary has never lied about who she is to get a guy." He said, adamantly. "Did you know what Lucinda was doing?"

Sophia didn't take that very well for she was fuming when she spoke. "Are you trying to suggest that I'm one aswell?"

"Did I say that?!"

"No." She sighed. "And no, I did not know Lucy was using Marlene."

"Did McLaird know? Pennyfield or Ackerley?

"I don't know! Merlin, why are you grilling me about this? I had nothing to do with it."

"I'm just checking."

"Do you not trust me?"

"Of course I trust you."

"You're testing me then? You want to know if I'm like Chambers?"

Black replied, saracastically. "You've figured it out, Soph. I think you're exactly like Lucinda and I was worried I was dating a pyschopath. Well done."

She glared at him. "Not funny, Sirius."

He reached for her hand and held it softly in his. "I know you aren't like Chambers and I'd never say you are because you are the nicest, sweetest, most beautiful person I've ever met."

"You can't just say sweet nothings for me to forget this argument."

"I'm not just saying—"

"Bullshit, Black. I've heard what you say to make girls forgive you. Do you say it to girls you date or to any girl?" Sophia asked. He knew where this was going. All his past relationships had always come back to this topic. "Do you tell Lily Evans this?"

"So this is what it all boils down to? I thought you said—"

"I know what I said, Sirius. Honestly, I thought I'd be fine with it but I'm not. We've been together a month and you spend more time with her than with me."

Black sighed and rubbed his eyes out of frustration. "How? I don't spend my evenings with her."

"What do you know about me?"

"What?!"

"If we've been spending all our evenings together you should know things about me."

"Hold up, this is like me asking you if you know me or your bloody brother better. There is no competition here."

"Because Lily would win."

"Fuck sake, Soph, I know more about Harriet Green than I do you because I've been her Housemate for the last seven years. Anyone in Gryffindor I'm gonna know better than you but that doesn't mean I don't know anything about you, or that I want to stop getting to know you."

"But Lily—-"

"I can't be having this conversation." He snapped as he walked away from her.

"Why?"

Sirius didn't do anything. He just kept walking straight. He could not be having the same argument again and again about Lily with a girlfriend. It riled him up inside with so much rage that he wanted to hit something or scream. Every relationship he'd had had sunk because the girl always had a problem with him being friends with Lily. Black had thought differently about Sophia after she said she wanted the two girls to become friends but he should have known it was too good to be true.

It was midnight by the time he got back to the Fat Lady, who sleepily allowed him back into the common room. There was a faint, metal whispering, from the radio, came from within the circular room. It sounded like a names being called in and eery, unhopeful tone. Tentatively, he edged forward to see Lily Evans sitting on the coffee table, staring into the fire. In her hands she held two pieces of paper which were being splattered by her tears.

"Evans," Sirius said, quietly and worryingly. "Are you alright?"

She didn't speak. Instead she shuffled over to the edge of the table and placed the two pieces of paper onto the table next to her.

Black sat down next to her and noticed that the first letter was an invitation to a wedding of V. Dursely and P. Evans. The next one, and he assumed this was the one making her upset, was short and read:

 _Freak,_

 _Mom has forced me to invite you, after you complained to her saying you weren't invited. Did you not think that maybe I didn't want you to come? I am very happy, and so is Vernon, and he still wants to marry me even after learning about you. If you really want to do something for me, don't turn up. I don't want you to ruin this day with your freak abilities. Make up some stuff about that freak school of years, saying how you can't come._

 _Petunia_

He sat there, in silence, shocked by what he'd just read. Sirius knew that Lily and her sister didn't get along but he had no idea that it was because she was a witch. "Lily, I—"

"It's alright, you don't have to say anything." She interrupted and turned to face him with a smile. She was no longer crying but her eyes were still red and a few tears were still gliding down her face, and neck. "I've already sent my reply back."

"Saying?"

Evans sighed. "Saying that I'm not going. That school won't allow me to come home out of school term."

"You could crash the wedding." Sirius smiled, making her laugh. "You know the date and the venue."

"I couldn't."

"Why not?"

"Because…because I still love my sister." Lily cried. Her lips wavered as she tried to hold back the tears but there was too many of them. Instinctively, Sirius moved towards her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, to bring her in closer to him. Lily's arms went around his torso as her sobs began to calm. "She's my family and if me being at her wedding will be too much, then I will stay away. That will be my wedding gift to her."

"It shouldn't be like that though."

"It's something you have to do when you love someone, even if they don't love you back. You have to do what's necessary to them." She sniffed and proceeded to detangle herself from him. Lily reached over to collect the pieces of paper, stared at them for one last time and threw them into the fire.

The two of them sat in silence. The radio's low hum was inaudible as the crackling of the flame engulfing the two letters. Sirius was unsure on what to say, for he had never comforted Lily before. Actually, he'd never comforted anyone before. As his mind began to realise things, he said them as they came into thought.

"Lily Evans, you are the strongest person I know." He muttered as he took her hand.

"I'm just like everyone else, Sirius."

"That's not true. You're not conceited." Black said, reassuringly. "You have been facing shit for your blood at school and for your magic at home, yet you don't show anybody how much it hurts you. You care about others over yourself, Evans, and that is something not everyone can say they have. I'm always here for you to talk about shitty families."

Lily smiled, shyly. "I'd like that."

"I know you said your sister is family, but you can make your own. Just because you are blood related to someone doesn't make them family."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm a Black. I should be a Slytherin, I should be proud of my pureblood heritage, I should be anti-muggleborns, I should be everything I'm not. But having the Black name does not mean they are my family or that I love them. My family are the Potter's, James… _you…_ Do you see what I mean?"

She nodded. "We don't really talk about our families."

"I know, it's 'cause its all doom and gloom stuff."

"Maybe we should talk about them more."

"Maybe some other time." Sirius sighed. He rubbed his hand, the one not holding Lily's, through his hair and kept it rested on the back of his head, and on his knee, while he looked at her, instead of at the fire.

"Why? We're talking about them now."

"It's been a rough evening, I don't want to talk about it."

"I'm sorry if I've upset you." Lily whispered.

Black smiled. "It's not you, Evans. Sophia and I had an argument."

"Is everything alright?"

He shook his head. "I think it's over."

"For fuck sake, Black. What did you do this time?"

"Hey," Sirius laughed. "Why is it my fault?"

"Well, from what people say, there is nothing wrong with Sophia _bloody_ Dippet." She sighed and then muttered to herself. "Merlin, I can't be dealing with all these new girls you keep dating."

"I don't want to stop dating Sophia."

"Then why is it over?" Lily said, quizzically.

Sirius exhaled. "Because she's jealous of our friendship."

Lily let go of his hand. "But she said—"

"Yeah, I know. Tonight, she said she's not okay with it and that I know you more than I do her."

"But we've been Housemates for seven years."

"I know!" He yelled, out of frustration.

"So you don't want to break up with her?"

"No."

"Then, maybe, we need to stop doing whatever we are doing."

Black stood up, annoyed. "Are you fucking serious?"

"If you want this to work, Sirius, then yes. Every girl you've been with has had a problem with our friendship, and if this is the girl you want to work things out with, then we've got to stop…this."

"I can't just—"

"Yes, you can." Lily said and stood up next to him. "We are still friends and I still feel the same about you. Nothing there will _ever_ change. We just have to not be seen together or you have to talk to me like you do with Vance, and I will talk to you like I do with Peter."

"I don't think I can do that."

"I'm deciding for you. The choice has been made and it's Sophia."

"I haven't decided that, Evans, you have."

"What do you suggest then?"

Black thought about it. Lily was right. He had made the choice of wanting to work things out with Sophia so he had to change his relationship with Evans, for him and Dippet to work. But it felt wrong. Lily was his family. "Argh, I hate this." He muttered. "The only solution is if we pretend to have fallen out but, once we are in the Common Room, then we can be normal with each other."

"Doesn't that sound worse? Like you're cheating on her with me."

"There is no good solution, Lily."

Evans hesitated then nodded. "We'll work it out. Our friendship has managed to last this long so I'm sure we'll manage. So, what shall we fall out about?"


	8. Boggart

**A/N: Thank you again for reading this fanfic. It means alot. I'm trying my best to write and upload chapters for you guys but it's taking longer than I'd like with this job that I've got. It's draining my hours away! (** **Plus this is a really long chapter too and I couldn't think on how to end it so I'm sorry if the ending is a bit poor.)**

 **There's a lot of JamesxLily in this. Dead!**

 **Thank you loveya0909 and funnyster16 for commenting, as usual. Love you guys.**

 **Please review, share, follow, etc. Mwah. x**

 ** _Disclaimer: J K Rowling is the One Ring and we are Sméagol_**

 _Chapter 8 - 'No, they won't catch me and you' - Jake Bugg_

 _(Tuesday Lunch)_

Lily and Sirius hadn't spoken to each other since Saturday evening. It became apparent that they had fallen out, on Sunday morning, as neither of them sat next to each other for breakfast, even though they were the only two to be in the Great Hall. They had played their parts well because Lily had seen Sophia's expression, which royally pissed her off and made her loath the girl. Dippet had caused the group to divide, the girls stuck with Lily and the Marauders stayed with Sirius, and Lily missed those four idiots more than she wished she did.

The plan, that the two Gryffindors had devised, was to keep everything truthful. They had fallen out because Sirius wanted to work things out with Sophia, which meant Lily and him couldn't be friends anymore. Simple. Neither of them had admitted to their friends why they had fallen out until Lily gave slip to Remus and Emmy during their History of Magic lesson.

"I can't believe it." Marlene whispered, as she took a bite of her sandwich. Emmy had made Lily tell McKinnon and MacDonald the full story during the lunch break. Remus was probably telling Sirius to do that same thing, as well.

"I bloody can." Mary glared at the Ravenclaw table. "They think they are so high and mighty because they are in the 'clever' house but they are all wankers."

"Mary!" Lily exclaimed, quietly. "It's no one's fault. Least of all Dippet's."

"Fuck off, Evans. If you think that, then you are stupid. Of course it's Dippet's fault, and then it's Black."

"No, no, you can't be blaming Sirius for this."

"It's someone's fault and it sure as hell ain't yours."

Lily hated the fact that Mary was right. "Please don't be…bitchy about this."

"Stop being so goody-two-shoes, Evans. If someone's upset you, you have to get even."

"No. I'm not going to hurt Dippet, Mary. Merlin sake, what's got into you?"

"I'm upset for my friend, who has lost one of her best friends over some girl crying jealousy." Mary huffed, getting incredibly irate. "And what really pisses me off is how she's been nice to you and then totally spells you in the back. She went against her word. She said she didn't want him to make a choice."

"I guess she changed her mind."

"Are you alright about all of this?" Marlene asked.

Lily nodded.

"When will you talk again, then?"

She shrugged.

"Dippet doesn't seem like the type of person to do this." Vance hummed.

"Don't try and defend her, Em." Mary said, turning her glare towards her Gryffindor mate. "The girl has spent time with Lily and Sirius, and it's clear to see that there is nothing there. Maybe she split you up for a reason."

"What? Like she has an ulterior motive or something?" She asked and then laughed. "Mary, I don't think every Ravenclaw is like Lucinda Chambers."

"She could be." Marlene agreed. "Sirius has never had a girlfriend for very long because they get jealous so if Sophia does manage to split you two up then it makes her look better than every other girl he's ever dated."

"Are all three of you anti-Ravenclaw now then?"

They all nodded.

Mary looked up the table and smiled. "It looks like those three aren't too keen on them either."

The other three Gryffindor girls followed and saw the Marauders in an overly heated argument. They were too far away to hear what was being said but it seemed to be causing a scene because other students were starting to stare at them, as well.

"James looks pissed." Marlene laughed.

"Remus wasn't too happy in History of Magic either. He must have told them what's happened." Emmeline whispered. "Why did the both of you not tell us what was going on?"

"Because we didn't want you guys to dislike Sophia, especially when you, Marlene, are good friends with her."

"Too late. I've got you three, thats enough." McKinnon said, not fussed at losing Sophia.

"Lily, of course we are going to not like her now. What did Sophia think would happen?" Mary asked.

"I don't know." Evans replied with a shrug. "I—"

"Incoming." Marlene interrupted with a whisper. "Incoming."

Evans didn't need to know who it was because she saw Remus walk towards where they were sitting. 3. 2. 1. "Lily, are you alright?" James asked as he sat down next to her, a little too close. Lupin sat opposite her and Peter sat on the other side of Potter.

"Oh come on, you can't just leave him there on his own." Lily commented as she saw Sirius eating his lunch alone.

"He made his choice, we've made ours."

"For Merlin's sake." She muttered and stood up.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm not gonna let Sirius sit on his own." She said but as soon as she began to move her legs, Sophia was making her way over to him, for she too had seen him sitting on his own. Lily followed Dippet's movement with a great sense of annoyance and hurt. Once Sophia had reached Black, and sat down next to him with her hand entwining with his, Lily sat back down, deflated. "You can't ignore him."

"I'll talk to him when he talks to you again."

"I won't talk to you then." Lily pouted. "Is it so wrong of him to want to work things out with Sophia?"

"It is when he jeopardises his friendship with you. I thought you meant more to him than this."

"Potter, it's not like that."

"Then what's it like?"

Lily immediately regretted what she said. The cardinal rule Sirius and Lily agreed on was to not let it slip that they were still friends and that they could speak to each other, but only in the Common Room when no one else was awake. So, she had to not tell James, and the others, the full truth. " _I_ told Sirius to work it out with Sophia. I didn't give him an option."

"Why?" Mary asked, aghast.

"He said…"

Remus interrupted. "We know why. Mary means why did you made that decision for him?"

"Because I could tell he'd have chosen me over Sophia."

"And so he should have." James commented. "You're friendship is real compared to his with Sophia."

"Hey, you can't say what he feels for Dippet isn't real!" Lily defended. "You weren't there when he came back after his argument with her. It's different than his last relationships. Just look at them."

The couple in question weren't clear to see, for the table had now filled up with all the Gryffindor students, but it was visible to see the wide smile on Sirius' face and that they were very close to one another. Lily didn't feel jealous but she felt something that hurt a little bit.

"If that's not a genuine smile, Potter, I don't know what else is?"

James sighed, heavily. "I don't understand how you're not angry by this."

"Of course I'm pissed off but I don't need you to be interrogating me about it." Evans snapped, getting fed up with all the questions.

She lifted up her bag as Marlene asked. "Where are you going now?"

"To the library."

"But we've got Transfiguration in like fifteen minutes." Peter stated.

"I guess I'll see you there then." Lily glared, stood up and walked away from the group, without looking back. It was hard not to look at Sirius when she walked past but she did. Their eyes connected. His grey ones held the same mischievous glean that told her everything was alright. Lily smiled to herself as she continued to walk onwards.

As she made her way to the Library, Lily thought about writing Sirius a letter instead. It didn't have to be anything special or meaningful but she missed his idiocy and over-exaggeration of daily events. Yet when she arrived in the library, and wondered over to the usual table she studied at, the idea went out of her head.

Severus was sitting there. He looked up from the his tatty, scribbled potions book and smiled with a question. "Are you going to do this mornings homework, as well?"

"Do you mind?" Lily asked, as she placed her hand on the chair next to his, to be polite.

"Please."

"Thank you." She smiled back as she sat down and started to rummage in her bag for a scarp bit of parchment and her Potions book.

"Lily, I heard about—"

"Not you too, Sev."

"Can I not ask how you are doing?"

"I'm fine."

Snape watched her carefully, as her quick response told him she wasn't alright, but knew not to push it too far. "If you want my opinion—"

"Don't, Sev. I know what you'll say."

"And what would that be?"

Lily sighed as she began to write the opening sentence, for her essay. "' _You don't need, Black. You should be glad you've got rid of him. Git.'_ Something like that."

"That's about right." He smirked, for a second, and then went back to his serious, stoic self. "Black _is_ a git. That whole group are gits."

"Remus isn't."

"He's a git for not stopping the other three."

Lily whispered, angrily. "You know why. Those other three have done things to help Remus."

"Typical Potter getting away with everything." Snape murmured. "How did no one know what they were doing? Professor McGonagall is one, for Merlin sake. How did they get the information to turn into animagi? There aren't any books about it in the Library."

"You've searched for one?"

"Of course I have. I want to know how they did it."

"Why? So you can snitch on them?"

"Information is information." Severus said, nonchalant. "I'm just curious, aren't you?"

"A little bit." She agreed. "But I'm not really bothered by Transfiguration."

"You're ' _not bothered_ ' because you're not very good at it."

"You're no better than me, Sev."

"I'll always beat you at Potions."

"And I'll always beat you at Charms."

He smirked. "True, but I am beating you at making a Patronus."

"Hey, we are both bad at that." Lily laughed. "Do you think it will be easier tonight?"

She was referring to that evenings Patronus lesson, the first lesson with the bogart. Lily hadn't improved much since the first time she'd tried to conjure the Patronus. Remus had kept his word at trying to help her as each Monday evening they would go and practice the charm. He had become great at concealing his Patronus while she was still trying to find hers. Lily would feel worried about her lack of ability if others had managed to produce a full corporeal but, it seemed, that everyone was struggling - apart from Remus, Kinglsey and Kathleen Bones.

Snape shrugged. "Maybe having a dementor in front of you will make you focus more."

"How?"

"You're in a life or death situation, Lily. Sometimes the brain does things to help you survive."

"Urgh, I hate when everything subconscious 'cause I can never bloody do it afterwards."

"Stop thinking so hard then."

"That's easier said than done, Sev. And shut your face, I've hardly begun my homework."

"Not more talking then." Snape nodded and then smirked. "But I should tell you we only have two minutes to get to next class."

"Two minutes?!" She squealed as started to ram her things, in an unorganised fashion, into her bag and stood up, frantically. "Merlin's sake, Sev, Transfiguration is the other end of the castle."

"It doesn't take that long." He replied calmly and, she felt he was doing it on purpose, packed his bag slowly. As soon as he was finished, he stood up and looked at her. "What are you waiting for?"

They both briskly walked to the Transfiguration classroom. As they passed corridor upon corridor, pupils were entering their allocated classroom causing her to feel the ominous pit in her stomach whenever she knew she was going to be late. She hated that feeling. Once they rounded the corner for the classroom, and saw that no one was waiting outside, Lily knew she was going to be in trouble. McGonagall never permitted pit grew bigger.

Lily inhaled to calm herself down and politely knocked on the closed door.

"Enter." Professor McGonagall's voice seeped through the door, defiant and relentless. Severus and herself opened the door to a room full of eyes looking at them. "Arh, Miss Evans and Mr Snape. So gracious of you to join us. Please sit down, open your books to page thirty five and I'll see the both of you after class."

There weren't many places to sit. Severus had been saved a sit next to the other Slytherin seventh year prefect, Helena Carrow, while the only place left for Lily was next to Sirius.

"Is there a problem, Miss Evans?" McGonagall inquired as she looked over the top of her glasses.

"No, Professor." Lily smiled and proceeded to take the seat next to Black. Once settled with her book to the right page and her ink's ready, she addressed him in a whisper. "What are you doing, Sirius?"

"I wanted to talk to you." He said, through a closed mouth like a ventriloquist, as he looked straight ahead and jotted down the words on the blackboard. Lily felt a soft prod on her leg. She looked down to see a letter addressed to her. "Read it later."

"But what about Sophia?"

"She made her choice when she went and sat by Boot." Sirius shrugged. "We haven't purposefully sat next to each other so she can't _really_ be mad about it."

"That's what you think." Lily snickered. "Girls like Dippet don't think like that. She'll think you purposefully sat on your own because I was late which meant I would have to sit by you."

He winked. "Just because that's the truth doesn't mean I can't lie about it."

"You've gotta stop lying to her."

"You're the one that came up with this plan, Lily. We were lying to her anyway."

He got her there because it had been her idea to still be friends on the sly. Lily sighed, heavily. "She seems to be happier."

"That's because she hasn't lost anything. I can't talk to you and it seems like the others are deafing me out. She's still got all her friends."

"James isn't—"

"Prongs knows what he's doing, Evans."

"Maybe we should tell them about the plan so it's easier."

Black murmured aggressively. "I shouldn't have to be walking on egg shells for some fucking girl."

"It will work itself out."

"It bloody better, Lily. It's only been four days and I've already had enough."

 _(Pips)_

"Do you buy this 'argument' thing?" Peter asked James, during the Transfiguration lesson, as they both began working on making any piece of furniture into a bed. They weren't trying hard as they had already managed the spell, about three years ago, at the Potter's house one summer's eve. All they had to do was perform the incantation perfectly for when McGonagall would walk by, like they did in every Transfiguration class.

"Don't you?"

"Not really." Wormtail said confidently. "This argument they had, wouldn't we have heard it? Me, you and Remus were still awake at that time."

"We were in my room, all the way at the top of the tower. We wouldn't have heard it." Potter whispered. "And you guys have got to stop sleeping in my room. You've got your own dorm room."

"Stop inviting us then. Or swap with Kingsley, he'd probably prefer to live on his own than with us."

"Do you think he would?"

"Yes. It's better than having to deal with Sirius' mess. Anyway, of course we'd have heard it. It's Lily Evans, for Merlin's sake. Whenever she'd argue with you, you could hear it throughout the castle."

James shrugged.

"And this morning, at like five, he was writing someone a letter but he didn't go to the Owlery."

"He could have given it to Dippet in private."

Peter shook his head. "Sirius has never wrote a letter to a girlfriend before."

"Then what Lily said, about this relationship being different to his other ones, is true."

"Padfoot all lovey-dovey?!" Wormtail snickered. "I don't think so. He's not you, Prongs."

"I'm not lovey-dovey."

"Please. If you were dating Evans, you'd be unbearable. It would be like fifth year all over again, but worse. Everyone would hate it, including her."

"How'd you figure that out?"

"Did she say yes to you in fifth year?"

"No." James pouted.

Wormtail snickered. "You asked her out like every day. She probably thought it was a prank or something."

Prongs was dumbfounded. "A prank? Why would be asking her out be a prank?"

"It was every fucking day, mate. And you'd always do it at some stupid time like when we were all eating or as you walked passed her or after you hexed Snape."

"Why didn't you stop me then?"

"Because it was funny."

James was fuming. He hadn't once thought about how Lily had perceived his constant asking her out. Yes, it had been excessive but never had it not been untrue. Did Lily even know that he had liked her then, or that he loves her now?

"Prongs, her _Amortentia_ was true. You know how you both feel but you've got to wait for her to realise it. You can't be like how you was in fifth year or else she'll think you are playing a joke on her again." Peter said adamantly but continued with an irrational thought. "You and Padfoot are basically the same person but there's something different about you that has put her off. When you figure that out, it should be easier."

"You want me to ask Lily Evans to critique me?"

Pettigrew shrugged and smirked. "Why? Worried she might crack your ego?"

Potter glared. "Git."

"Remus would agree with me."

"Yeah, well, Mooney's a git too." James sighed. "How would I even begin to ask her?"

"I don't know. You talk to her more than I do."

"I'm not very good at talking when it comes to Evans."

Wormtail laughed. "True."

McGonagall walked near the two Marauders. James easily turned the small chester draws into a double bed, accompanied with pillows and a duvet, while Peter struggled to turn his coffee table into anything. The Professor gave Wormtail a few more tries but the best he could do was lengthen the table into one fit for a dining room.

"Mr Pettigrew." McGonagall hummed. "You are clearly not visualising the bed. Focus. Potter, I'd like to talk to you after class."

"I've got Arithmancy."

"Professor Tally has been told you'll be late to his lesson."

James nodded.

"And Potter." McGonagall muttered as she walked passed him to the table behind him, which sat Sirius and Lily. "Help Pettigrew."

James did as McGonagall advised. Normally, Peter was alright at Transfiguration when it came to animals but he always struggled with conjuring or transfiguring inanimate objects. By the end of the lesson, Wormtail was able to turn the table into a small cot bed, which he was ecstatic about. James smiled and clapped his friend on the back.

"Well done, class." McGonagall smiled as she stood at the front of the class. She waved her wand in the air, in her usual elegant fashion, and turned all the varieties of beds back into their original forms. "Please read the next chapter before next lesson. Potter, Evans and Snape stay behind. Class dismissed."

The students departed the classroom includable quick. James stayed seated at his table and twiddled his thumbs trying to think why he was kept behind. He hadn't done anything wrong all week. Actually, he hadn't done anything wrong since he's started the academic year. Nor had any of the other Marauders.

"Mr Potter, a word." The Head of Gryffindor House summoned. He obliged and walked up towards her desk. She sat perched on her high backed ornate chair while he stood in front of the desk with his arms crossed behind his back. McGonagall shifted her position and sat further forward in her chair. She whispered. "Is everything alright with Miss Evans?"

"Erm," James responded with a raised eyebrow. "I think so."

"Is she getting enough sleep?"

"I…er…No she isn't, Professor. She's staying up late in the Common Room listening the the radio."

"The radio?"

"She's found some sort of news broadcast that keeps track of all the Voldemort incidents and the names of all the victims so far. She says if something happens it will be immediate instead of having to wait for the morning paper." James replied in a worried tone. "She's hoping to not hear her parents name's."

McGonagall asked, hopefully. "Is she eating?"

"She's…er…eating but not as much as she usual does, Professor."

The Professor sighed. "Has anyone offered her a sleeping potions right before bed?"

"She'd never take it."

"Then, disguise it."

James was shocked. "Professor! I'm impressed!"

McGonagall nodded with the smallest smirk imaginable.

"But, Professor, this is Lily Evans we are talking about. She'd never fall for anything like that, especially from someone like me. Merlin, I don't even know why you are talking to me about this. Wouldn't Marlene be better? Or MacDonald? Or Vance?"

The Head of Gryffindor House smiled knowingly but didn't care to explain why. It was her secret to keep that she had known for a very long time that he had worried about Lily Evans more than anyone else did.

"Myself and Dumbledore are worried about her wellbeing, Potter, and seeing as you are…. _friends_ with Miss Evans, as well as you both being Heads, Dumbledore would like to see the both of you in his office to talk about this furthermore. The password is Pips."

"When?"

"Now."

"Now!? But Arthimancy."

"I'm sure if you are late, or even miss the lesson, you will not have missed anything you don't already know. I heard you do better in that class than you do in mine."

James laughed, nervously, as her eyes burrowed into his soul. "I wouldn't say _better_ , Professor."

"Hmm. Anyway, off you go. Oh, and one last thing, try to eat something yourself, Potter. You too are looking a bit peaky."

"Yes, Professor." James smiled and bowed, slightly. He turned around and locked eyes with Lily. She somehow knew what he was trying to say to her with his eyes because she grabbed her bag and proceeded to walk out of the room with him. However just to be sure, he said, "Dumbledore wants to see us."

She nodded and walked in the direction of the Headmaster's office. "Did McGonagall say why?"

"He and McGonagall are concerned about…" James couldn't lie to her but he couldn't quite say it either.

"Me?"

He nodded.

Lily sighed, heavily. "I know I haven't been sleeping but I didn't think it was obvious."

"It isn't—"

"Don't lie, Potter." She interrupted with a laugh.

"I wouldn't want to. You've probably hexed me, ages ago, to only ever tell you the truth."

"There's no such spell."

"How do you know? Tried to find it?" Potter asked, teasingly.

"It would be useful." She shrugged. "Make talking to you easier."

"Remember when we first met and I said how great I am, I wasn't lying about that. I've always told you the truth from that moment onwards."

The redhead rolled her eyes. "Just a second ago you weren't going to."

"If I had told you the truth, by admitted that you looked tired because you've got giant dark circles under you eyes, you would have shouted at me or hit me with a jinx. Can you blame me for telling just a little, white lie?"

"I see your point, Potter." Lily pouted. "At least you know I'd easily take you in a duel."

"Keep dreaming, Evans. I've got spells you're never even heard of."

"Been snooping around the restricted section of the Library, again?"

"There's a whole room at my house full of books. I've memorised all the good stuff."

She laughed. "We can't all afford personal libraries."

"Well, I could lend you a few of the books."

Lily's laugh turned into hysterics. "Lend me? Do you want to have a specific date stamp on the page for when I have to return it? Sure thing, Madam Potter."

"Keep them, then. I don't care."

"I'm not going to _keep_ one of your books, James. They are _your_ families."

James knew already that she was part of his family but he didn't say anything of it. Peter, along with Remus and Sirius, had told him before to keep his mouth shut when it came to matters of the heart and James was going to do just that. Internally his whole being wanted to scream and shout at her ' _It's me your in love with_ ' but that apparently turned her off. His mind then raced to fifth year and it started to question everything he had done in that year to win her over. Was it too much? Was it clearly a prank? He wanted to ask her but there was no subtle way of bringing that up. The only think he knew what to say was: "Are you reading anything interesting at the moment?"

"You'd probably like it." She said and began to open her bag to look for the book. "It's basically you."

"Me?" James asked, astonished that Lily would even compare him to a character. "Is their a handsome, clever and funny person in the book then?"

Evans laughed and handed him the book. It wasn't in great condition. The leather was falling apart, along with it being damaged by some sort of liquid and a few of the pages were sticking out as if they had lost their glue.

"Maybe I won't lend you any of my book if this is what you do to them." He said as he closely examined the small book.

"I bought it like that."

"Like this?!"

"There's a…charm to something old, it smells good and think about all the other people who have read it before me."

"Erm, okay."

"Don't look at me like that, Potter. You like the smell of broom polish. This is my version of that."

James could understand that. "What's this book about then?"

"It's about a boy who never grows old, flies around an island, has a gang called ' _The Lost Boys_ ' and fights pirates."

"Does this guy have a broom?"

"No, it's with _magic_."

"What spell does he use to fly then?"

She smiled, "No spell, just pixie dust."

"Isn't that what Honeydukes' put on their cereal? How does that make a person fly?"

"Idiot." Lily giggled and stopped in front of the griffon gargoyle of the Headmaster's office. "It's a bloody muggle book about magic. Of course, none of it makes sense. Just read the damn book."

James said the password and smiled. "I will do. Thanks."

The perfect time for him to ask her what she didn't like to him was in that moment. He could of swerved the conversation into her boring romantic novels but the stairs to the Headmasters office were already revealing themselves and Lily didn't waste time to walk up them. James sighed and followed her.

Lily knocked lightly on the door. It opened to no one behind it. Tentatively they both stepped forward into the circular room to see the Headteacher tending the ashes underneath Fawkes' perch. The atmosphere in the room was solemn and James felt like he was intruding on something he shouldn't be. He looked at Lily and she shrugged her shoulders for she too felt the same as he did.

"Lily. James. Please take a seat." Dumbledore said as he turned around and swept his arms towards the two vacant seats in front of his ornate desk.

"Are you alright, Professor?" Lily asked as they both sat down.

"Yes, thank you, Lily." The Headteacher said with a smile but it was clear he wasn't going to push further on the matter. His blue eyes stayed on Lily's and asked her a question. "Do you know why you are here today?"

She seemed to cower a little bit into herself and replied, childlike. "James said a little bit."

Dumbledore gaze flickered towards him but didn't say anything. "A few of your Professor's have become concerned about your wellbeing, Lily."

"Oh no." James heard her whisper. In a clearer voice, she asked. "Which ones?"

"Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick and Professor Slughorn."

Lily's whole disposition seemed to collapse into the chair she was sitting in. Her three favourite teachers had all noticed a change in being and James could tell it was killing her on the inside because, he knew, all Lily ever wanted was to be the best witch she could be. It was hard at that moment not to reach out to her.

"I don't want you to worry about this, Lily."

"Am I dropping my grades? Am I failing?"

The Headmaster smiled. "No, it's nothing alarming. They've just noticed a … lack of participation or not fully reading the task."

"I messed up one potion!"

"That's still enough for Professor Slughorn to be concerned with. He tells me you still haven't excepted an award from him. If you need a sleeping draught or a mind clearer potion, he had informed me he will get the cauldron's ready, immediately." Dumbledore informed. " Besides, you are here because I need to explain to you why I know your parents are safe."

She looked at Potter confused.

"Has James already told you?" Dumbledore asked.

"No, sir. He and Sirius have mentioned it in passing before but didn't explain on it."

"Do not blame the two of them for not telling you, Lily. It's a secret only a few people know of, and one I wish to tell you about now." The Headmaster said, reassuringly. "As you are well aware, Voldemort's rise to power has become an increasing threat to, not just the wizarding world but, also, to the muggle world. As I am someone who feels a protective duty for all my students, and their families, I have founded a group to help protect those who do not know of the eminent war ahead of us—"

"I want to join." She said straight away.

James smiled and relaxed a little bit. "I told you, Professor."

"You don't know all the facts yet, Lily."

"I don't care, sir. I want to be part of something that will help defeat Voldemort."

"It's no use, Evans. He won't let any _current_ students join. I've tried." James uttered.

Dumbledore sat back in his chair and watched the two Heads carefully. "The two of you need to understand that this is dangerous for the people already involved—"

"My parents are in this. What kind of son would I be if I didn't stay true to the values they have taught me?"

"Your parents?" Lily asked. Her expression was a new one to him, and one that she quickly changed, for he could not decipher what it meant.

James sighed and looked down at his hands, that were raised onto the sides of the chair arms. "They've been watching over your parents, from time to time."

"Why?"

"Because…because I asked them to."

Out the corner of his eye, he saw Lily's hand move towards his, slightly. It was enough to give him hope that she was finally seeing him for the way he truly is and that she was in love with him but it wasn't the time or place. He looked up slowly and found Lily's green eyes immediately. They were foggy and unsure.

"Let me join, sir." Lily pleaded. "I can watch over my family while James' parents go do something more necessary."

"All the needed protection spells have already been placed upon your house, Lily."

"Then Mr and Mrs Potter don't need to be 'watching' my house. Nothing can be accomplished in finding Voldemort's secrets if anyone of your Order are watching every muggleborn's family house."

"All muggleborn houses have been protected now." Dumbledore informed. "We are not allowing for another incident to happen to another one of my students. What happened to Luke Quinn's family will not happen again."

"I understand secrecy must be kept for your group but every muggleborn student should be told that their parents are safe. Mary is doing worse than I am, sir."

The Headteacher nodded. "Agreed."

"Let me join then, sir." She pleaded, once more. "Let me help those who are helping me. Let me look after all the other muggleborns in this school. Let me find something to bring down this evil man. You need all the witches and wizards you can get, Professor, because this is going to need a bigger army than the one you have right now."

"She has a point, Professor." Potter agreed.

"Your father is an ex Auror, James." The Headmaster stated. "He knows of what dangers there are in this line of work."

"My mother isn't. The Weasley's aren't nor are—"

"They are all older than you."

"That doesn't mean they know more than I do."

"Your parents have asked me to not allow you into this group, James, and I agree with them."

"Oh great, my parent's are being overprotective when I can _actually_ do something worthwhile." James muttered, crossing his arms.

"If you are in my school, you are not permitted into the group."

"Professor Dumbledore, sir, you can not stop me from wanting to help."

Lily nodded her head in agreement.

"You need all the blood traitors you can get, sir." James smiled. "And there's not that many families left to pick from."

The Headmaster shook his head. "Like I said, James, I can't allow it. This meeting wasn't a recruitment, it was to give Lily ease on her families situation and help her find some sort of peace."

"And like I said, you can't stop me. Just because I can't join this group yet doesn't mean I can't do something in this school to help others."

Dumbledore grinned. "I've heard about your plans for when Voldemort arrives at this school."

"Is everything correct?" Lily asked.

"Yes. But you most warn others not to spill any more information. No more can come back to me. Understand?"

The Head Boy and Girl nodded.

"Only the two of you can risk knowing where the House's will be placed. If you have this…hypothetical map, James, you need to make sure everything is clear for everyone, including Slytherin."

"What if they betray us?" James asked full of hate.

"We cannot think like that. Slytherin is still a House at this school. We must treat them the same. Someone in your House, or Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw, could easily be succumbed by the Dark Lord." The Headmaster pursed his mouth for a second. "I've heard you set the perfect's a task to think of a way to communicate with each other."

Lily nodded "That's correct, sir, but we haven't had much luck."

"You may find what you need is something you already have. You won't be able to buy one but I'm sure a person proficient in Charms will be able to replicate it."

 _(New seating arrangements)_

"What was that about?" Lily asked James, as they fled from the Headmaster office, towards the Great Hall, for she had no idea what Dumbledore had said to him. "What's this 'something you already have'?"

"I have a two-way mirror that I talk to Sirius through." He replied, honestly. "I thought it was a mirror created _with_ magic but its just a boring, plain mirror that has some charm on it."

"So the two mirrors are linked by a charm?" She thought out loud. Lily believed she knew every charm ever created but she couldn't figure this one out. Had she glanced over the spell thinking she'd never need it? Or had she missed it in her previous lessons because of fatigue? "Do you think we could add two more mirrors to ones you have?"

"The main issue is how do we drop Slytherin if we need to?"

"James! Dumbledore said—-"

"I know what he said but if you think Rosier or Estrange are going to protect this school when Voldemort rocks up, you are stupid."

Lily had to agree with him on that. "I'll double check all my Charms books tonight."

"The other issue is how do we wake everyone up?"

"What do you mean?"

"Voldemort's not going to show up in the daylight." Potter theorised, as they turned right to walk down the stairs. "If it's after everyone goes to sleep, us shouting into a mirror isn't going to wake up anyone?"

"Then we'd need a sound cancelling spell on each House common room entrance to not alert _him,_ or any of the Death Eaters, to the fact that we know he's about."

"And once everyone is moving we need more ways to communicate. One member per House cannot control everyone. We need to make sure everyone from fourth year above can talk to one another."

"This… this is good, James." Lily smiled. "We need to call a Prefect's meeting."

"I think we are going fine on our own." He grinned, back, which she found to be contagious.

"We've come up with ideas that we need to share with the rest of them. They two might have some too." She said. "Do you think I should write these down so we make sure we cover everything?"

"This is the stuff you don't forget, Lily. We'll still remember in a fortnights time."

"Fortnight? Why can't we call one this week? Or next week?"

"Ravenclaw and Slytherin both have Quidditch practices this week. Hufflepuff and us have ours next week. There's just no time to fit it in with Patronus lessons and bloody _buddy_ meetings."

There was no point arguing over it with him. Lily knew not to mess about with the Quidditch practice schedules. It was the only thing Potter did correctly under his Head Boy duties. "Fine." She murmured. "I'll send a memo out to all prefects."

"Send separate ones to Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff that we'll meet up after the Slytherins have gone to discuss what we should do."

Lily glared.

"What?" James laughed. "Evans, come on. I'm not saying I'll not make sure Slytherin's are safe but if the House betrays us, we need to make sure the other three are safe from them. We need to make sure we can cut all ties from them and the only way to do that without them knowing is my having extra precautions."

"I hope it doesn't come to it."

"Yeah, well, the only people we can trust are each other and our House."

"Who says I trust you?" She smirked, a little flirty. She'd hoped James hadn't noticed but she saw that he had for he had the exact same look on his face. It was full of mischief and want that she couldn't look away. It enveloped her in a warming embrace that she never wanted to leave from. It was protective yet freeing and something she never wanted to not feel. "So…do you think after your Quidditch practice, next week, you can show me how to ride a broom?"

Potter winked, "I'd love to."

Evans nodded, a little unsure on where to lead the conversation to.

"Do you think you can sit with Sirius for dinner?" He asked, as they descended the last flight of stairs.

"You know I can't."

"But if you sit one end of the group, and he sits the other end, you're not _technically_ sitting next to each other or talking to one another."

She sighed. "You've already planned this, haven't you? We're going to walk in and everything is going to be back the way it was before."

"Sirius said it would work."

"That's because the two of you like to get in trouble. Me, I like to stay on the safe, rule abiding path."

James yawned. "Boring."

"What if Dippet starts getting… pissy about it?"

"Let her. What's the worst she can do?"

He had a point.

Yet when the walked into the Great Hall and saw their friends all sitting together again, Lily knew she couldn't sit with them. It wasn't because Sophia was there and Lily was afraid of the confrontation. No. It was because she had made a promise to Sirius, and to herself, that she'd step back to give him and Dippet a chance.

Without being obvious, Lily found a scrap piece of parchment in her bag and used her wand to write a message. She walked towards the group, with a polite smile, and touched Mary's shoulder, letting the parchment slip onto her lap, as she continued passed them.

"Evans, what are you doing?" James whispered loudly, as he followed her down the bench, on the opposite side. Lily chose to sat in the middle of the sixth year girls and the Quidditch team lads, who had now adopted fourth year reserve beater, Coote.

"Alright, Cap?" Digory Kirke smiled as Potter sat next to him.

"Not right now, Dig. I've got to sort this one out."

"' _This one'_ has a name, you git." Lily snapped back, unintentionally.

Kirke gave James a look and went back to his conversation with his friends, while Potter went back to asking her, "Why are you sitting here when there was space for us with our friends?"

Evans had to unmistakeable feelings that the sixth year girls, especially Fenella, were listening in on their conversation. It would be first rate gossip if they knew what had happened between Lily and Sirius. Without uttering a word, Lily incanted the _muffliato_ charm - Severus had taught her in fourth year - to surround her and Potter. She smiled at Fenella and asked. "Is it true that you and Peakes have been sneaking around?"

"Huh?" Abercrombie responded.

Lily smiled for she knew her spell had worked, turned her attention back to James and replied to his question. "This is the right thing to do."

"No, the right thing to do is to sit back up there with _your_ friends." James stated and then leant forward to speak in a whisper. "And what the bloody hell was that about Fenella and Balgair?"

"Cressida saw them together and no one can hear you, you don't have to be quiet. I've put the _muffliato_ charm around us."

"Nice." Potter nodded in approval as he filled his plate with roasted beef, yorkshire puddings, mash and root vegetables. "So I could shout anything I'd like and no one would hear me?"

She nodded.

"Lily Evans just admitted she's in love with me."

She glared. "Keep dreaming, Potter."

"I intend to." He smiled. "So, is this new seating arrangement, where you or Sirius have to be on your own, what you want?"

"Of course, it's not what I want. But it's what it had to be, at the moment."

"Fine. I guess you're stuck with me then."

"Sirius is your best friend, James."

He shrugged his shoulder.

"Sirius would want you sitting across from him more than I do."

He ate his yorkshire pudding, indifferent.

"Sirius—-"

"Okay, okay, you made you're point. I'll talk to him later and stop with the whole ' _Sirius this, Sirius that_ '."

"Why? Jealous?" She asked, teasingly.

James winked, "Incredibly."

Lily laughed and looked in her bag to look for her N.E.W.T level Charms book while she tried to eat peas and mash.

"Is my presence that boring that you've reverted to a book?"

"I can still read and talk to you. Seeing as you and I are here together we can keep discussing the…issues Dumbledore has set us to sort out."

"Why does everything have to go back to work with you?" James responded, annoyed. "Why can't we have a conversation like … friends would? Like you and Sirius would?"

"And what would that be like?"

"I don't know. We are practically the same person."

"No you're not. Sirius is like a brother and you are…"

"And I am, what?"

Lily opened her mouth but couldn't respond. There wasn't a thing that James was. Sirius and Remus were like her siblings and Peter was a friend but James was that icky grey colour you could never quite distinguish. It had been like that for some time now and now, as she was confronted about it, the more it weighed her down. It felt like she was suffocating.

"I…I…I…" She stuttered as she pushed her book back into her beg and stood up, all of a fluster.

"No, Lily, I didn't mean…" James said, quickly.

"I've…" was all she said to him before she briskly walked out of the Great Hall to breath once more.

 _(Bitter insecurities)_

Lily didn't try to hide. She wondered to her usual spot, the bench on the Charms corridor, to think about everything. It was too risky to read Sirius' letter and it was too unbearable to think of James. In the end, she just sat and closed her eyes. Deep down, the monster inside wanted James to follow her but he never came.

A click clack of footsteps made there way closer to her, shortly after she sat down. She knew it wasn't Potter, for the rhythm of the foot falls were too different, but she had an idea of who it might be. Lily opened her eyes to see McKinnon walking towards her.

"Lily, are you alright?" Marlene asked.

"Yeah."

"What did Potter say?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to come to our Patronus lesson early."

McKinnon sighed. "Stop lying to me, Evans. What did Potter say?"

"He asked me what he is."

"What he is?"

"What _he_ is to _me._ "

"Oh."

"Yeah." Lily murmured. "It's stressing me out because I should know what James _fucking_ Potter is."

"Does it matter? Isn't it more fun when you have to figure it out?"

"Urgh, not helpful, McKinnon.""

"What would be helpful?"

"Talking about anything but Potter."

"Erm, okay." Marlene hummed as she thought of something. "Sirius tried to leg it after you but then remembered he's not meant to. Sophia looked pissed."

Lily smiled, a little. "Good."

"You could have sat with us at dinner, you know?"

"I know. James told me he'd tried to sort it out. But when I saw everyone with Sophia, I knew I couldn't go near him for his sake." Lily admitted. "Are you alright by all this?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"Bullshit, Mar. This is the first girl Sirius wants to be with because he's making an effort. Doesn't that hurt you to know that?"

She shrugged. "Like you, I try not to dwell on things too much. My _Amortentia_ hasn't changed so I guess I'm still in love with him."

"Can I ask you a question about that?"

"Sure."

"How do you know it's Black? Couldn't it be a girl?"

"When you figure your's out, Evans, you'll understand the feeling and we'll talk about it."

"I want to but I can't."

"Yes, you can. It's not hard."

"Urgh," Lily pouted and crossed her arms. The corridor was starting to fill up with their year as they all waited outside a Charms classroom for the Boggart lesson to commence. Lily lowered her voice before speaking. "I hate how everyone else sees it but me. Is it really that obvious?"

"Yes." McKinnon laughed.

"Can't you tell me? Please."

"No."

"Why not?"

"It's quite entertaining seeing you squirm."

"Can you give me a clue?"

Marlene shook her head and tittered, silently. "Nope."

Evans pouted even harder.

As the corridor began to fill up, their conversation fell. Lily didn't want to talk about such things when the majority of students at Hogwarts were nosey, gossip spreaders. She didn't want to talk about it at all but with Marlene, because the two were so alike in how they dealt with things, Lily never felt pressured or teased about the way she felt.

"Lily, can we talk?"

She, and Marlene, turned their heads to see Sophia standing to the side of them. Lily had tried to stay clear of Dippet, for the passed four days, because she didn't know how she would talk to her. Mary and Emmeline, who were standing further back, seemed to edge a little bit closer to the situation. Lily couldn't tell were the Marauders.

"Sure." Evans said through a fake smile.

"I want to thank you for letting me and Sirius have a shot at this relationship."

"No problem." Lily grimaced. "It's something _friends_ do for each other."

"Yes, well," Dippet paused. Evans tried not to show smile at seeing Sophia flummoxed, but she was glad that the word 'friend' had made it's mark. "I hope we get to continue building _our_ friendship."

"I'd hate to break it to you, but that's not happening. How are we meant to be friends if I can't be near Sirius?"

"I'm _not_ always with him."

"You pretty much are. It's either sitting with Sirius, which you don't want, or sitting with your Ravenclaw friends and I'd rather sit on my own. Thanks."

"Why are you being—-"

"Like this?" Lily interjected and sat more forward on the bench. Everyone in the corridor noticed the commission and proceeded to gather nearer the two of them. "Because some girl—"

"I'm not _just_ some girl."

"—has decided to back down on her promise—"

"I never made you a promise."

"Bullshit. You said we should be friends and so we did. But you had fucking blinkers on the whole time because you still thought that there was something more between me and Sirius even though you'd spent time with us—"

"You'd ignored me the whole time."

"Oh, fuck off, Dippet. You're too insecure to realise it."

"I'm insecure?!"

"Yes. Why else would you ask Black to choice? Because you're too worried of the outcome."

"And you're bitter because he picked me over you."

"Bitter!? If I was bitter about it, I'd have—"

"Okay, okay." Marlene snapped and stood up. "Lily, you go that way. Dippet, you go the opposite way."

Lily did as she was told and walked away from the situation, around the corner out of sight. She had to calm herself down before going into her lesson. Patronus' had to be from happy memories. _Think happy memories_. She didn't want to fail creating a corporeal one because of _bloody_ Dippet.

"That could have been handled better." James smirked as emerged from the corner and rested easily on the wall.

"Urgh," she sighed. "Not now, Potter."

"I'm not doing anything."

"But you want me to answer your question and I can't. I can't give you an answer, James, but that doesn't mean you aren't important to me." Lily whispered. "It doesn't mean you aren't nothing to me."

Potter's mouth transformed in a goofy grin. "I can live with that."

"But don't you _dare_ ask me about this, again."

 _(The stag, the dog and the boggart)_

"Welcome class." Flitwick smiled as he stood next to Professor Scamander, at the front of the classroom, on a pile of books. No student looked at him, their attention was still on the ceiling. It was full of dementor's floating above their heads. Even though Lily knew they weren't the real creatures, she still felt unnerved by them. "Don't worry, class. Mine and Professor Scamander's Patronus' are keeping them at bay."

Two blue flying creatures lit the room and soared into the air. The atmosphere got warmer and the unsettling nature disappeared. Lily could tell one was a bird of prey, and assumed that was Flitwick's for being a Ravenclaw, while the other one was something she'd never seen. It was half horse, half eagle.

"It's a hippogriff." Remus whispered in awe. He didn't need to be there, Dumbledore said so, but Remus came to the lesson's to keep practicing and to help Lily. "I heard Scamander's mother used to breed them."

"Isn't it rare to have that Patronus?"

Lupin nodded.

"That's _so_ cool. I'd want mine to be a dragon or something."

"You've got the temper for one." Marlene snickered.

"Shhh." Emmeline ordered. "You're missing it all."

"As you know, these dementor's are boggarts." Scamander stated. "How can we know this?"

Omar Abasi answered. "There is no cold or darkness."

"That is correct. A dementor can seem to suck all the light and happiness from the air causing a drastic change in temperature and mood. These transformed bogarts only represent the monster. They cannot cause darkness. They cannot take your happiness away. They cannot hurt you."

"We are using them today so that you will be ready when you face one." Flitwick finished the speech. "Class, listen. Tonight, we will begin with our usual practice of the charm and nearer the end of the lesson, you will be placed into groups to use the charm to ward back the boggarts."

The seventh year students quickly began saying the incantation and an eruption of blue light flooded the room. Kingsley's lynx and Kathleen Bones' hound-like Patronus' soon emerged and started to chase each other around the room while everyone else seemed to struggle to manifest anything.

"Breathe, Lily." Remus whispered. "Don't pay attention to anyone else and just focus."

"That's what I'm trying to do."

"Change your happy memory. Maybe it's not strong enough."

She sighed. "How am I meant to know which memory is best to chose from? They are all happy to me."

"There has to be one that's the strongest."

Lily rolled her shoulders back. "Okay, okay. I can do this."

Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Lily steadied her breathing and closed her eyes. There was no doubt that her happiest memory was of when she was a child, when her and Petunia would get along, and her family would all sit together to watch muggle animated films under one massive, itchy blanket. Her family had never done that since Lily started showing signs of being a witch but it was a memory she had treasured.

The thought of the warm blanket, her mother's singing voice, her father's smile and her sister's laughter filled Lily up with more happiness than any of the other thoughts had. "Expecto Patronum." She said, confidently.

Silvery blue light exploded out of her wand but it didn't turn into anything. It stayed in the shape of a dish that had been taunting her for the past month. _For Merlin's sake_ , she thought in frustration over the no change. The light didn't stay long and with it went Lily's hopes of ever creating a corporeal Patronus.

"You need to keep the feeling, Lily." Remus stated. "You can't keep being disappointed when you don't see it changing because then it won't ever change."

"Easily said then done."

"I know but you seemed so close."

"Really?" Lily asked, hopefully.

Lupin nodded with a smile.

As the class progressed, more and more corporeal Patronus' started emerge. Lily wasn't sure who they belonged to but when one stopped and ran over to her she knew who it belonged to. Sirius' animagus form, a huge dog, lollaped over to her with a big doggish grin and sat in front of her. Lily laughed for it felt exactly like Sirius was in front of her and she missed his idiocy more than she realised.

"Who's is that?" Emmeline asked, intrigued.

"Black's." Remus uttered. "What is Sirius doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"Sophia looks even more pissed that it's come over here. He needs to undo the spell or else you are in even more trouble."

"How's it my fault?"

"She's got it out for you, Lily." Mary glared in the direction of the Ravenclaw. "You just have to breath and she'd be think that was a sign you're into Sirius. Pathetic."

"Do you think I was too harsh on her?"

"Are you kidding me?! You were not harsh enough. I'd have—"

"I know what you'd have done, Mary." Lily interrupted as she stared at the Patronus dog. It looked back with a ghostly gaze. But their gazes were soon cut off because the dog jumped up and wagged it's tail in a playful manner towards a glorious silver stag. "Urgh, typical."

"What's a matter, Evans?" James said, looking annoyingly smug. "Jealous?"

"Of course I am." She admitted. "What did you think of?"

He smiled a knowing smile. "My happiest memory."

"Well, that's useless."

Potter continued to smile as his Patronus stag walked over to Lily. It walked around her so close that it washed away all her worries of being unable to create her own corporeal Patronus and replaced it with a warmth she'd felt only once in her life, one she'd only felt when she was around him. A small smile appeared on her face for she thought she was started to understand something. It wasn't clear but she was curious and wanted to keep pushing her way towards it, for she was no longer afraid of it.

"What's happening here?" Mary asked, teasingly and spoilt the moment.

"Nothing." Evans blushed.

"Mhmph."

"Okay, class." Scamander shouted to silence the room. "Now we will begin with the boggarts. If everyone lines up in their respective Houses we will begin."

Lily got pushed to the middle of the Gryffindor queue. Sirius had wedged his way in front of her and was asking a question, in a low voice only she could hear. "Are you alright, _Love_? I've spoken to Sophia about—"

"Don't worry about it," Lily snapped back, a little too aggressively. "Shouldn't you be more concerned about what she's going to think with us standing next to each other?"

"I can stand up for myself, Evans, just as much as you can."

"Shush, Potter is behind me." She informed. Kingsley was performing his Patronus charm exceptionally well, at the front of the queue. "He's probably listening in."

"Let him. He can keep a secret."

"I know."

Sirius asked, as they stepped forward for Kinglsey had made his way to the side. It was Remus up next. "Have you read my letter?"

"I haven't had time."

The two of them didn't speak for the rest of the evening. It wasn't because they were mad at each other, they had just got to the end of the conversation they needed to have with each other. It was short and sweet, and that was all they needed to know they were both doing okay.

Emmy and Cressida didn't manage to produce a corporeal but they both had managed to fend of the dementor enough to be happy about it, and Sirius had no problem with producing his dog Patronus. When it was Lily's turn she was excited and felt good about her prospects at producing something. Yet when she stepped up the mark and saw the dementor float towards her, in a menacingly slow movement, a different fear arose in her.

This fear was so strong the dementor started to spin into a tiny little ball. Lily was confused to what it was doing until she saw the final outcome. She had changed the boggart. A silent scream escaped her mouth as she saw her parents dead bodies on the floor.

" _Riddikulus_." She managed to whisper but the boggart didn't go back to a dementor. It turned into another lifeless body, James Potter's dead body. Yet again she managed to say " _Riddikulus"_ but only just before she crumbled to the floor.

"Lily, get up." She heard Sirius say and felt his hands go around her shoulder's, to help her up."It's okay, it's not real."

But it wasn't okay because she'd seen it and that was all she could see every time she closed her eyes. Their dead bodies were still in front of her. Their expressionless eyes had bore into her soul and they weren't ever going to leave. The impression had already been made.

"Mr Black, please take Miss Evans outside." Professor Scamander asked as he turned the boggart back into a dementor. "Not you, Mr Potter."

"But—" James started to say but he had been cut off by a look the Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts gave.

Lily was ushered out of the room by Sirius and finally felt like she could breath again. Neither of them spoke as they made their way to the Gryffindor common room. All Lily could do was try not to blink and hold on to Sirius with all the might she could.

"Immobulus." Sirius said to the Fat Lady for her to open the entrance. Once inside and Lily sat down on a chair, in the far corner, he asked her once more how she was feeling.

She nodded, shakily.

"What happened?"

"I don't know. Seeing the black and…they just reminded me of death and…it caused me to fear…"

"It's okay. It's okay."

"But it's not." Lily snapped and stood up, panicking. "How am I supposed to produce a Patronus when I can't even face a bloody boggart?!"

"If it was easy, everyone would be able to create a corporeal Patronus."

"And the bloody thing turned into Potter." She exclaimed with frustration. "What does that even mean?"

Sirius smiled to himself for he knew exactly what it meant. "Speaking of, I'm positively certain he's making his way here, right now."

"No, no, no."

"Go. I'll cover for you."

Lily smiled and raced up the stairs to her room just in time for she could hear Potter and Black talking downstairs. She didn't want to listen to what the two were saying so she went into her room, without a seconds hesitation. Normally, her room, for she now lived on her own, felt welcoming but after what had just happened, she wanted to be back down in her old dorm room with her friends nearby to talk to. She felt isolated up here with just the furniture.

As she walked over to her bed to go to sleep - she felt too empty to change into her pyjamas - the letter Sirius gave her came to mind. Once comfortable, she opened it to see a small note in his hideous handwriting.

 _To Lily Evans,_

 _I don't want to be with Sophia if this is how things are going to be. I know it's only been four days but they have been the worst four days of my life not being able to talk to you. I'm going to have to break our rule of not sitting by each other. I've got to at least one lesson a week. No, one lesson a day. Maybe I've got to tell Prongs about this so that we can talk easily in the common room without anyone gossiping about. We'll figure it out. No, this would be so much easier if I break up with Sophia._

 _I miss you,_

 _Sirius Black._

She should of listened to him. She should have agreed with him, at the time, because it would be easier if he broke up Sophia _fucking_ Dippet.


	9. Flying

**A/N: Only me! I'd like to thank MaddieMorganGoode007, 2 Guests, Chrome, Wisdomsqueen, wingingwinds and, of course, funnyster16 for commenting on the last chapter. Love you all.**

 **There seems to be some dislike with Lily and Sirius being friends and, yes, other stories haven't touched on it like this or they've made the two of them hate each other but I don't believe that. Everyone has their own opinion in this friendship more than others (for some reason) and I'd like to just say why I believe in it.**

 **1) Sirius and James are practically the same person so it's like why don't you like Prongs when you're great friends with Pads. It's contradictory and that's whats pissing off all the other characters in the story, especially James. (Plus I've got this real issue of having James coming to 'rescue' her _all_ the time. I nearly didn't make him stop her from going to her parents, it was gonna be Remus, but James has to be there for all the main issues for her to realise he's the one.)**

 **2) Sirius is Harry's Godfather, over Remus. I have a feeling they asked Remus as well but he'd have turned it down because of the werewolf issue but still, Sirius is Harry's Godfather and I don't think that would just be based on him and James being best friends.**

 **3) Sirius has been linked with James since they first sat next to each other on the train in first year so he too would have a instant connection with Lily. Plus the two are similar with family issues, unlike Potter.**

 **Keep reviewing, guys, I love them.**

 **P.S. Anyone seen the Fantastic Beasts sequel pictures. Totally changes everything and makes this make more sense *Phew***

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling is Mamma Umbridge and we are her daughters.**

 _Chapter 9 - "What you're wrestling with?" - Everything Everything_

 _(Secret keepers)_

"Where's your boyfriend, Evans?" Lestrange snickered as he walked passed her in the corridor, for she was sitting on her own in the Charms corridor, on her favourite bench.

"I see you're with yours, Rabastan." She hissed back. "I always thought you and Rosier made a cute pair."

The two guys stopped, a few paces away, and looked at each other in disgust.

"Oh, did I just reveal your secret? I'm sorry." Lily smiled, sarcastically.

"You will be sorry."

"Threats? Really? What you gonna do?"

Rosier grinned, maliciously. "That boggart—"

No one had forgotten about the boggart situation that had happened at last weeks Patronus lesson. It had spread quicker than Lily would have liked. Every student - even tiny little first years knew - and every teacher seemed to know about it. James hadn't let it go, annoyingly.

Lily stood up, briskly, and pointed her wand at the Slytherins, who were both laughing. "Don't. You.-"

"What are you worried about, Evans? Your muggle parents? Your boyfriend?"

She didn't comment.

"Told you, Rabastan. She's nothing when she's not with Potter or Black."

"Did you not learn, from last time, that I can beat your asses in a duel?!" Lily glared as she came up with a plan. "How's Miller doing? I heard he hasn't been right since they had to shape his head back to normal."

Lestrange whispered to Rosier. "Did we get her back for that?"

"You tried to. I believe I knocked you out, twice." She replied. Lily saw them reach for their pockets. "A-ah, I don't think so."

"You've got your wand pointed at us."

The two Slytherins had their hands very close to one another. Bingo. With a smiling, that she hoped was chilling, Lily said. " _Epoximise._ "

The backs of their hands were pulled together, like magnets. They seemed to fuse together as their slightly different skin tones blended into one. "What?!" Rabastan shouted in panic as the two of them flapped their joined hands around, unable to unglue them. "What have you done, mudblood?"

"People who are in a relationship should hold hands. I thought I'd help."

"Undo this. Now!"

"I'm sorry I don't know how to change it back."

"Bullshit. We know you are good at Charms."

"I thought a mudblood couldn't be good at magic. You must have me confused with someone else."

"Wait until our parents hear about this."

"Tell them. I'm sure they'd love to know a muggleborn witch has outsmarted you three times this year, and it's only October."

The two glared at her before walking away in hushed curses.

Lily smiled and, automatically, checked her watch. She was late for dinner. Speedily, she packed her belongings in her bag and raced down to the Great Hall. On any other day it didn't matter if she was late, but it was the Quidditch practice tonight and she wanted to catch Potter beforehand to tell him their lesson on flying wasn't going to happen.

James hadn't let go the fact the boggart had turned into him. He hadn't mentioned it but she could tell something was off. He was acting weirder than usual. Lily didn't like it when she couldn't figure out what Potter was going to do. He was too spontaneous, at the moment, and it was putting her on edge. It didn't help when Mary kept mentioning it, either.

The Great Hall was packed by the time she arrived. Sirius and Sophia were sitting on their own tonight. Lily still hadn't reconciled with Dippet. The two of them were both waiting for the other one to apologise first and it sure as hell wasn't going to be Evans.

"You've just missed him." Lupin informed her when she arrived at the table and sat down next to him.

"I thought practice started at half past? What's he gonna be doing on the pitch for fifteen minutes?"

He shrugged.

"It was so you didn't cancel on him." Peter said, absentmindedly, as he spaced out looking into his soup.

"MacDonald." The redhead snarled and faced a sheepish Mary.

"I didn't do anything, I swear."

Marlene coughed. "Liar."

"You should get that checked out, McKinnon." Mary glared.

The Quidditch player stuck her tongue out and winked. "I haven't done anything wrong."

"Neither have I."

"Sure." Lily said, rolling her eyes. "Why did you tell Potter—"

"Calm yourself down, Evans. So what if I did?" MacDonald shrugged. "You've been so wound up lately, does it matter if you spend an hour or two trying to ride a bloody broom?"

"I don't care about time—"

"Then whats the problem then?"

Evans tried not to pout or glare at Mary's knowing expression for she knew what he friend was trying to insinuate, and Lily felt like she couldn't even deny it anymore. Since seeing James' dead body, Lily has had a icky, unknown sensation in her stomach; one that she'd never felt before. It was something she'd felt for a long time now, at least since sometime during sixth year in minuscule unrecognisable waves, and it scared her for she hadn't yet worked out what it meant.

Instead of responding, she dug into her dinner with a huge mouthful.

"Shoving food in your mouth, Evans, isn't going to solve anything." Mary commented.

Lily shrugged. "It's the one you're getting."

"For crying out loud!" Mary huffed, loudly. "One of these days, Evans, I swear to Merlin, you're gonna tell me things."

"I'd tell Marlene first." The redhead teased.

"What?! You'd tell _that_ secrets and not me."

" _That_ and I have a packed."

" _That_ has a name!" Marlene glared.

"Should we leave?" Peter asked Remus, quietly.

"Are you keeping secrets from me too, Mar?!" MacDonald squeaked.

"Yes."

Mary gasped. "What the hell would you tell _her_ about, over me?"

"Probably the _Amortentia—_ " Pettigrew whispered, without thinking straight, again.

McKinnon punched him in the arm. "Git."

"The Love Potion?" Mary said, confused, as she didn't take Potions past O.W.L level. "Did…did the two of you get two perfect ones?"

The two in question both looked shamefully away.

"Neither of us take Potions so how does Peter know?"

"Erm…" Wormtail spluttered.

"I told him." Remus said, sticking up for his friend. "We were gossiping about things in the dorm room."

"Yes, yes, that _is_ correct." Peter nodded. "I was telling him about, in Care of Magical Creatures, Eastchurch and McPhail were—-"

"Say no more, Pete." Mary murmured. "I heard the same thing. Can you believe they are secretly together?! Martin sure did settle."

"You can't say such things." Emmeline said, disappointed.

"Please. He's an eight, at best, and Annabel is a five."

"She is not a five."

"Have you not seen her teeth?!" MacDonald stated. "If she's not a five, then what is she?"

"Hey, don't look at me." Marlene said. "I'm agreeing with you."

Lily shook her head. "You can't be bitchy about someones looks, Mary."

"Hypocrite." Mary said. "You've been bitching about Dippet for the past week."

"McPhail has done nothing wrong against you."

"I'm just stated the facts, Evans."

The argument continued on and on, so much so, that Mary forgot the fact her friends were keeping secrets from her. Lily felt wrong for keeping something from one of her best friends but Mary was….Mary and a secret never stayed secret for long.

 _(Gossiping during practice)_

"Hey!" James shouted as no one was listening to him. "What's the matter with you lot tonight?"

"Nothing, Cap." Kirke snickered. "Dearborn said she saw Lestrange and Rosier holding hands."

"I didn't say that, you liar." Abigail glared. "They were trying to separate their hands and they couldn't."

Coote looked puzzled. "Couldn't?"

"Someone had obviously magicked them together." Awen Robins, the new reserve Chaser, commented with a smirk.

Potter's intrigue thickened and looked at Padfoot. "You?"

Sirius shook his head.

"They seemed really pissed." Dearborn added to the story. "Kept muttering something about a…er…Mudblood."

"I hate how they use that word." Zoe Verne, reserve Seeker and Abbie's best friend, shuddered.

James didn't listen to the team anymore. He just looked at Marlene and Sirius for an answer.

"She was late to dinner." Marlene whispered as she, and Black, edged closer to him.

"Did she say why she was late?"

"Nope."

"Did you ask?"

"No." McKinnon shrugged. "Everyone knows she wanders off, on her own, to the Charms corridor to sort out her day's notes, like a weirdo, so no one bothered to ask why she was late."

"She didn't seem angry, or anything, when she walked into the Great Hall." Sirius commented. "Maybe she didn't do it—"

"They've been picking on her since the bogart changed." Potter scoffed.

"Some might say you have as well but I don't see you're hands glued to—"

"Me? What have I done?"

"You haven't forgotten either."

"I haven't teased her about it. Maybe if you'd been around, you'd understand—"

"Fuck off, Prongs. I know full well what's going on."

"Oh, yeah. How? Remus been filling you in."

Sirius glared, mounted his broom and zoomed off into the sky.

"You guys are so stupid." Marlene huffed and flew into the sky after Black.

"Are we starting practice now?" Richard 'Kingy' King asked with confusion on his face, as many of the other team did.

James nodded and calmed down. "As you know our first match is with Hufflepuff. They have a new Captain, a fifth year, Horton. He's a good Keeper, we've all played against him last year, but there seems to be a rift in the team. The seventh years don't seem to like having a fifth year Captain."

"I heard Appleby and Rickett refused to show up the first day of practice." Abbie stated.

"Appleby thought he was going to get the Captain role. He's been after it for the past three years." James smirked. "If Hufflepuff continue not to listen to Horton, then we should easily win."

"What's the strategy then, Boss?" Digory Kirke asked, excitedly.

"We continue with what we've been practicing so far. We've got no worries against Hufflepuff." Potter said, cocky. "Let's get started then."

The team cheered and flew into the sky to begin practice with James soon following, after he let the balls out of their trunk.

During the first half hour of the practice, James ensures that everyone understands all the different Quidditch formations possible, plus a few that he had made up. The last couple of attempts hadn't gone well as the reserve players hadn't caught up quick enough or had gotten the formations mixed up, or the Bludger had got in the way, but this time things seemed to be near perfect.

Next was how quick can they get from one end of the pitch to the other with a perfect stop. James was relieved that the reserve Seeker, Verne, was as quick as, or even quicker than, Sage. Coote needed a little bit of practice on stopping but thankfully he hadn't crashed into the stands this time.

And, finally, the team split up into their positions. He was in charge of the Chaser's, Marlene was in control of the Beater's and Sage continued her one on one tutelage of being a Seeker. James believed splitting the team up worked better, for the game of Quidditch is different for each position. Working in position teams helped the whole team because there is no benefit teaching a Chaser strategy to any other position, and vice versa. It hadn't failed him for the last two years of the Captainship and he was sure it wouldn't let him down for his last year.

"Aren't you meant to be coaching, Prongs?" Sirius smirked as he stopped next to James. Potter had pulled back from the Chaser's, it was too much with four on the pitch, and was watching the team practice from a higher vantage point.

"Dearborn and King know what to do, and they can teach Robins just as good as I can."

"Are you sure about that?" Black raised his eyebrow as the three Chaser's looked out of sync.

"It's fine. Robins is just staying back to learn."

There was silence in the air. Neither of them had forgotten their little exchange of words on the pitch. Neither of them would apologise but they both knew they could blow past it.

"Do you really think Lily did it?" Padfoot asked after some time.

Potter shrugged. "It sounds like something she would do."

"If it is her, and you say it's because they keep mocking her about the bogart thing, maybe don't bring it up either."

"I'm not as stupid as you think I am."

"You are when it comes to Evans." Sirius smirked. "Like right now, the only reason you're up here is because you are distracted by the certain redhead sitting in the stands."

"Is she?" James replied as coolly as possible.

"Like you didn't notice the first _second_ she sat down." Black snickered. "She's not even watching you, you know, she's too busy reading her Charms book and laughing at Mooney's jokes."

"He's not even that funny."

"Jealous much?"

"Shouldn't you be in goal?"

Padfoot laughed, whizzed around as if ready to leave and spoke in a stern, serious voice. "Just because we aren't talk—… She's still my friend, Prongs, and I'm not gonna sit around if she's upset."

"I didn't mean what—"

"You meant every word of it, you git. And, yeah, I haven't been around, like I'd want to be, but I've noticed things."

"Such as?"

"With me out of the picture, she's had no choice but to latch onto you." He grinned, evilly. "I can practically hear the bells all ready. You better make me best man!"

James glared.

"You know it's true though. The two of you have got closer over the last month, since you saved her—-"

"Lily didn't need—"

"Everybody needs saving now and then."

"Who saved you then?"

"You did."

"Me?"

"The first day of Hogwarts, on train. I'd have been a Slytherin, I'd have been stuck at bloody Grimmauld Place, I'd have been everything I'm not if you hadn't been so pro-Gryffindor and made it sound so much more fun than life itself."

James laughed as he remembered back. "Okay, okay, I was a little over the top and I get it. I saved you from your parents, we saved Mooney by helping him, and we all pretty much saved Wormtail from being a loser...who's going to save me?"

Sirius' smile softened. "The little redhead in the stands."

 _(Learning to fly)_

If you could ignore the chilly breeze that hit the back of your neck every so often, reading a book on the Quidditch stands was quite nice. It was quieter and smelt fresher than the Library. She wasn't alone, for Remus and Peter were sitting next to her, but out in the open, Lily didn't feel their presence. It was peaceful and relaxing even if her mind wasn't.

She had found the charm needed to connect objects together, easy, but it was putting everything else together. Sure, there would be more minds to bounce ideas off of at the next prefect meeting but it was bugging her that she couldn't think of it herself. _Am I thinking too much on this?_ Lily thought to herself. _Should it be this hard?_

"You alright, Lils?" Lupin asked, as looked up from his Defence Against the Dark Arts book.

"I'm good," She replied with a nod and a smile. "Just thinking."

"About?"

"Complicated matters."

"Like…Prongs?" Peter asked, tucking into his third stolen cupcake

"Of course I'm not thinking about him!" Lily snapped. "Why does everyone think—-"

Lupin enquired, with a concerned look on his face. "Who?"

"Urgh, never mind." She said, exasperated. "Pete, why've you got a book on pregnancy?"

"For my Care of Magical Creatures N.E.W.T, I have to look after an animal for the whole year," Pettigrew explained. "But the bloody thing — stupid Kneazle — has managed to get pregnant and Professor Kettleborn won't help. Git."

"Wouldn't it be better to get a book—-"

"There aren't any in the library, I've looked." Peter snapped.

Lily and Lupin exchanged a look before the three of them lapsed into silence and watched the remainder of the practice. The Quidditch team were coming to the end as Potter was talking to the team, in the air. As this was going on, a figure walked onto the stands and wondered over to them. Evans knew who the person was and was wishing she had the invisibility cloak on, even if it did just smell of Potter. "I thought you guys put a protection spell up around the pitch."

"We did." Peter smirked.

"Lily, can we talk?" Sophia asked, shyly, as she sat down next to the Gryffindors. "Alone?"

"Hello Sophia." Lupin smiled and stood up, along with the smaller Gryffindor. "How are you feeling tonight?"

"Good."

Pettigrew snickered. "Do you not feel…funny? Any different?"

"No." Dippet replied, a little worried. "Why?"

Remus tried to hold back a smile. "No reason. We just wanted to make sure you were…well."

Lily wanted to go with them but she smiled politely and waited for Sophia to start talking.

"I, er…" The Ravenclaw began. "I want to apologise for how I acted in our last conversation."

"It's alright. We both said things, we both shouted…all is, er, forgiven."

Sophia nodded and sang. "Oh Lily, how did things end up so bad?"

Lily grimaced and held back her tongue. "It's a mystery to me."

"I also wanted to talk to you about a truce."

"Truce?"

"It was incredibly selfish for me to ask Sirius to not be friends with you." Dippet began. "I see that now. And it's most obvious the divide in the group when we're all eating in the Great Hall. So, If you want, you can sit _near_ Sirius at eating times."

Even though Sophia had made it clear Lily would only sit ' _near_ ' Sirius, it was an opportunity she couldn't afford to pass. "I'd like that."

"Good, good."

"Sophia," Lily said, unsure on what to say. For one thing she did know was that Sophia hadn't felt she could trust Lily, and that was something the Gryffindor wanted to fix, so the only logical thing to do is to ask a simple question. "Do you think maybe the two of us should hang out some time? We said we'd be friends and that never _really_ happened."

"We didn't really get to that point, did we?" Dippet giggled. "I love that idea. Maybe we should sit next to each other in Transfiguration, or Herbology, or something."

"Deal." Evans smiled, a little falsely. The Quidditch practice had finished so Lily stood up, and stretched a little for the cold air had seized up her shoulders."Shall we?"

The two girls made their way down the stands and onto the pitch. Sirius noticed them first and ran over, immediately, with panic in his voice. "Sophia, I told you to meet me in the castle."

"I wanted to talk to—"

"Are you feeling okay?"

"Yes, why does everyone—"

Sirius grabbed the Ravenclaw's hand and pushed her out of the pitch. "Quick, you need to get to the castle."

"Okay." Lily whispered, confused about why three Marauders were concerned for Dippet's health. She continued to walk onto the pitch and made her way over to Marlene, who was walking towards her in a rush, like all the other teammates were. "Do you know what's wrong with Sophia?"

"I don't know. I haven't spoken to her since you have so I _really_ don't care." McKinnon shrugged and continued on her path out of the stadium.

"What's the rush, Mar?"

The Gryffindor Beater shouted back with her hands up in the air but without even a glance backwards. "Potter told us to fuck off so that's what we're doing."

 _Great._ Lily thought as she gloomily trudged over to James who was grinning from ear to ear, with two brooms at his feet. Evans had hoped someone else would have been nearby because she didn't trust being alone with Potter.

"Do _you_ know what's wrong with Sophia?" The redhead asked as she stopped in front of him.

"Did she come into the stands?" James raised an eyebrow.

Lily nodded.

He laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"We put a protection spell up." Potter said between fits of laughter. "We were going to just put up an Amnesia spell around the pitch,—-"

"Argh, great." Lily muttered as she realised Sophia wouldn't remember the conversation they'd just had.

"—-but Peter had the idea to put a transfiguration spell around it too. If you see anyone walking around with red and gold striped hair, tomorrow, from a different House—-"

"How do you even produce that type of spell?"

"You in awe of my talents, Evans?"

"No." She lied, unconvincingly.

"Sure." James smiled and rolled his shoulders back to get into Quidditch Captain mode. He looked down at the two broomsticks at their feet and pointed at the one nearest her. It was smaller, older and more threadbare than his pristinely kept one. "Right, firstly, you need to command the broom to your hand."

"I know. I did take broom lessons—"

"Once."

Lily sighed and outstretched her hand, over the broom handle. Her mind wondered back to first year and remembering how rubbish she had been - her broom hadn't moved from the ground - while other people like Potter, and Black, were being showing off that they could already fly. She had put it down to them being born into the magical world but even as her broom did the exact same thing, six years later, Lily began to think maybe it was something she'd never be able to do.

James obnoxious laughter woke her out of her concentration.

"What are you giggling at?!" She scowled.

"That broom's just a normal broom—"

"Seriously?!"

He nodded.

"That's it." Lily huffed, turned around on her heels and proceeded to walk away.

"Hey, where are you going?"

"To the castle."

"Come on, Evans, it's just a joke." James laughed as he caught up with her and stood in her way. "I thought it would be a laugh….There's enough riding brooms for you to pick from. Merlin, you can ever use mine if you want."

"Can't we just do this another time?" She asked, trying to skive off the lesson.

"What's a matter, Evans? Scared?"

"No, I—-"

"I dare you." James smiled.

Lily glared because she knew he'd said those three words, on purpose, for she could never turn down a dare. "Fine, but give me a nice broom."

He nodded, waved his wand and summoned a broom from further across the field. It landed at her feet with a thump. "This one is a Comet 260. It's a…er…beginner's broom."

"Why hesitate? I _am_ a beginner."

"I didn't—-"

"Want to insult me?" Lily laughed. "You've been doing it for the past seven years, why stop now?"

James ignored her as he had transformed back into Captain Potter. "Command the broom with your right hand."

She did as she was told and, suddenly, the broom rose into her hand.

"Nice work. Now, mount the broom and kick off the ground."

Again, Lily followed his instructions but nothing happened. "Why's it not working?" She asked him after a few failed attempts.

"You've got to be one with the broom." Potter replied as he stepped over his broom to her and placed his one hand on the front of the broom to steady it and the other hand on her back. It made her jump as the monster inside her rushed over to his touch.

"Get off me."

"I'm trying to help you."

"You don't have to put your hand on me."

He sighed and put his hand, the one that was on her back, up in the air. "That's fine but you came to me for help and you need to trust me—"

"I do."

"No, you don't. We are not gonna argue about this but you need to understand I'm in charge here."

"This has got nothing to do with me not being in charge."

"You don't like it when you're not in control or being in a leadership role. You asked for my help, so I'm in charge." James said, authoritatively. "This is my pitch."

"Yes, Captain." Lily mocked.

"For fuck sake, Evans, this isn't a laughing matter. This could be dangerous if you don't get your head out of your ass—-"

"Is this why we never got on?" She interrupted, suddenly.

Potter stopped and hesitated. "Because neither of us never want to listen to the other and always want to be in control?"

Lily nodded.

"It makes sense but I'd say we are alright with each other now." He smirked as if placing it all together in his head. "We could still compromise, a bit more, and realise whoever asks for help—-"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it, Potter. I'm not stupid."

"Didn't say you was. Just clarifying things."

"Who's going to be in charge when we have to look after everyone?"

"The both of us." James said as if it was obvious. "Now, back to your flying lesson, shall we?"

She nodded, again.

"You're posture is all wrong. You need to have more of a bent knee and bend more forward, over the broom, to tell it to go forward."

"Like this?" Lily whispered as she repositioned herself.

"You're a little bit too forward. You don't want to go top speed on the broom, just yet."

She changed her stance to be somewhere between the two and asked him once more. "Like this?"

"Yes, better." He smiled but moved a little bit closer to her. "If you can just pull your shoulders back, to where my hand is, and relax your hand grip it would be perfect."

Evans leant back until she felt his hand and tried her best to relax but it was hard when he was that close.

Once she was in position, he moved himself to the front of her broom. "Perfect. Now you've just got to kick off the floor and fly."

"Er, James?" Lily whispered and looked into his hazel eyes.

"Yeah." He replied in a soft tone.

"You're in the way."

"Yes, yes, of course." He laughed and rubbed the back of his neck while he moved out of the way. "Okay, so just kick off from the ground—-"

Swoosh. Lily was in the air. "Shit!" She screamed from the top of her lungs as she felt out of control and hugged the broom handle. The stands loomed over her as the distance between them grew shorter. Her eyes began to water, blurring her vision, as the wind blew its chilly air into her face, but it was mainly because blind panic was starting to set it.

 _Wipe your eyes, Evans._ Her inside voice commanded. _And turn the fucking broom!_

Quickly and carefully, Lily wiped her eyes, while keeping one hand on the broom at all times. One vision was clear, her subconscious took over the moment it saw the Ravenclaw diamonds inches away from her face. Her hands pulled the broom upwards while her body sagged backwards to flip her around to race further down the other side of the pitch.

"Lily!" She heard James shout at her from the other side of her, having now caught up with her. "Relax. Get back into a more upright position to slow yourself down."

Slowly, she moved her shoulders away from the broom. Her speed decreased.

"Now, sit on the broom like you would on a chair."

She did and stopped in midair.

"Okay." James sighed and grabbed hold of the front of her broom. "Maybe let's take things slower."

Lily let out a nervous laughter.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Adrenaline is pumping around in my body at the minute so I'm a little shaky, and it's a little surreal that I'm flying, so I'm trying not to freak out."

"You know, Evans, you could be on the Quidditch team."

"I don't think so."

"Are you kidding? The speed, that amazing turn you did—-"

"That was a total fluke."

"—-and I know you can catch a ball."

"Stop trying to recruit me, you idiot." She laughed, properly this time. "I'm not going to be a Chaser for Gryffindor."

"No but you can be on my team when _us_ guys play as a group. We'd totally beat Mooney and Padfoot."

Lily rolled her eyes.

"I'm going to let go of your broom, okay? I want you to keep next to my side so we can practice acceleration and stopping." James explained and carefully did as he said. "To go forward you need to lean ever so slightly."

With every centimetre she leant forward, the quicker the broom moved. She smiled with excitement as she realised she was flying a broom. "Yes, I'm like a real witch now." Lily said with glee as she kept next to James and managed to do a simple turn.

"What do you mean ' _a real witch_ '?"

"Muggles always picture witches flying a broom so now I'm a muggle approved witch." She explained. "Now, I just need to get a cat."

"Why didn't you pick one in first year?"

"My parents wanted to me write to them, so the owl was the obvious choice."

James nodded, as if taking note of something.

The two continued to talk and fly around the pitch. Lily knew the time in the air would come to an end but, at some point during the third lap, she realised she didn't want to land. She actually liked talking to Potter about everything and nothing. It was different but, at the same time, it wasn't. All she knew was that she never wanted to stop talking to him, she never wanted to not see him.

 _(Couch Confessions with Lily Evans)_

"So, did you guys kiss?" Mary asked the second she saw the two Head's walk into the quiet Gryffindor Common Room. It was just past curfew and many of the younger classman had already drifted off to their dorms.

"No." Lily said.

James, on the other hand, replied. "Yes."

Evans rolled her eyes and slumped onto the couch next to Marlene. James, annoyingly, followed suit and sat next to her, with his arm rested on the back of the sofa. "If you believe Potter, Mary, then you are a moron."

"I guess I'm a moron then." MacDonald smirked. "We'll talk about this later."

"Were you any good?" Marlene asked.

"She was incredible." Potter replied. "She did a pitchback turn at top speed—"

"It was a fluke." Lily insisted but no one listened.

"—-I said if we ever did a friendly game, she'd be on my team."

Mary squealed, excitedly.

The redhead glared at the giggling blonde. "Nothing happened, MacDonald."

"Only our love grew stronger." James winked.

"Potter, you aren't helping." Lily said, nudging him in the side.

He winked once more before standing up and saying his farewells for the evening. It was early for Potter to leave, to the surprise of the three girls but none of them were intrigued to why. Lily was pleased he was gone but also annoyed because now Mary would interrogate her, which she did shortly after his departure.

"Something must of—-"

"I'm afraid to disappoint you but, honestly, nothing happened." Evans interrupted. "Where's Emmy?"

Marlene shrugged. "The library?"

"It's shut by now and it doesn't take that long to get here."

"Are you two that stupid?" Mary giggled. "She's obviously seeing someone."

"How do you figure that out?"

"One: She's not with us." MacDonald began as she counted on her fingers. Lily was about to protest but Mary cut her off with a poignant look. "She doesn't have many friends, Evans. She's worse at making friends than McKinnon."

"Excuse me, I think you'll find I'm the most popular out of us." Marlene smiled. "I just don't like people."

Mary ignored the Quidditch player. "Two: You and her, Lils, have the same timetable so how has she got more work than you? Three: She enters the dorm room. some nights, later than Cressida—-"

That sold it for Lily, who gasped. "She's seeing someone!"

"Exactly! And she hasn't told us about it."

"She doesn't have to tell us."

Mary rolled her eyes. "You're no fun, Evans."

"Isn't is more fun when you don't tell people about it? Because it's all secretive?"

"What? Like you and James?"

The redhead glared and changed the topic. "Does anyone know if Sophia is okay?"

"Why are you so concerned over Dippet?" Marlene asked, for she was the only one who knew Lily had asked about the Ravenclaws wellbeing already.

Lily told the three girls that the boys had put two protection spells up around the pitch. Mary and Marlene found it very amusing. "Me and Sophia spoke about the…situation and I don't want her to forget about it."

"You'll have to have the conversation again, if she's forgotten." Mary's laughter turned into hysterics. "I can't wait to see Dippet's hair tomorrow. She's going to look awful."

Lily couldn't help but smile, a little evilly, at the thought.

"I think we've corrupted Evans, Mar."

McKinnon snickered and shook her head. "Lily's always been evil, she's just quiet about it."

"What do you mean?" Mary asked.

"Have you not heard?"

"Lily used the sticking charm to attach Rosier's and Lestrange's hands together."

Evans looked at Marlene shocked. "How'd you know that?"

"Dearborn told us something had happened on the Quidditch pitch and Peeves' singing about it. It's hard not to hear about it."

"Shit." Lily sighed. "I'll be getting a detention then."

"Oh, no, good-track-record-Evans is going to get a black mark by her name."

"I've had as many detentions as you."

"All of mine have been because I haven't done homework or I've been late to class. Yours, Evans, have been because you've hexed—-"

"Hey! James deserved—-"

Mary screamed. "I love it when you say ' _James'_!"

"—all of those hexes, the prick."

"Say _James_ once more?"

"Fuck off, Mary." Lily glared. "Don't you have an Astronomy lesson to get to?"

"Oh bollocks." The blonde said all of a fluster as she stood up and rammed all of her books in her small bag. "You and Vance will tell me things."

"My mouth is shut." Lily smiled, teasingly.

"Unfair!" Mary said in a tantrum as she left for her lesson.

There was a long silence between the two Gryffindor girls until Lily broke it with a concern. "Is Vance really showing up later than Cress?"

Marlene shrugged. "I'm asleep, and have earplugs in, so I don't know."

"Harriet still snoring then?"

"Like a fucking elephant. Be glad you don't have to sleep there anymore."

"I kinda wish I did."

"Why? You've got a bigger bed, you've got your own bathroom…that's the only good reason of being Head Girl."

Lily sighed. "It's boring. I miss all the drama."

"There's surprisingly been less drama this year since we've actually started to like Fleming."

"But I'm missing out on Vance coming back late and gossiping about it."

"So what? You're gossiping about it now." McKinnon said. "Mary's probably making it up."

She gave her a look.

"Okay, okay, all the signs point to Emmy seeing someone but who the hell would it be? If it was a Gryffindor, we'd know about it." Marlene hummed. "Hang on, aren't you down here at stupid o'clock listening to the radio?"

Lily nodded.

"Wouldn't you have seen her?"

"McGonagall tends to do a last minute check in around midnight so I'm up in my room from half eleven till about two." Lily informed.

McKinnon shrugged and rose from the comfy couch. "I'm going to bed, Evans. I've got homework to do."

"I'll see you in the morning."

"Please try and get some sleep, Evans."

Lily smiled and nodded.

With Marlene gone, Lily was the last person in the common room. She switched on the radio, even though it was too early for the programme she was listened to, and started her History of Magic reading for the night. Professor Binns never checked if homework was done but Lily always did it anyway.

She was reading about the Goblin Wars when Sirius showed up and sat down next to her. He didn't look pleased.

"What's a matter?" Lily asked, a little concerned.

"Sophia's bloody pissed because her hair has started to turn red and gold."

Evans held her giggle. "I guess she didn't see the funny side of it."

"I told her to wait in the fucking castle. She even knew we were putting protection spells up."

"Most people would put up _Cave Inimicum_ or some sort of rebound spell."

"We don't know the incantations for those ones."

"But you know a spell that turns anyone, from the opposite House's, hair colour into the Gryffindor ones?"

Sirius smirked. "How else are you going to know who's been spying on you?"

"How long is their hair going to stay our colours?"

He shrugged. "Errrr….a week?"

Lily couldn't contain her laughter anymore. "It's no surprise she's pissed."

"The annoying things is she won't remember her hair's ….changed and she'll have a go at me again."

"Argh, great." She whispered.

"Ay?"

"Dippet was in the stadium because I was there." Lily admitted. "She said I could sit _near_ you at eating times."

"She was specific on _near_?"

"Very specific."

Black grinned. "How _near_ is near?"

"I think she means you at one end of the group and me the other."

"But, technically, we are sitting near each other now. Could we sit—-"

"Let's try not to push it, Sirius."

"So…." He said, sitting up straight and crossed his legs to face her. "How was the date?"

She rolled her eyes. "It wasn't a date."

"Did you guys kiss?"

"No!"

"There'll be more time for that later."

Lily glared but didn't say anything for she didn't know how to respond. Was it because she was fed up of the constant talk about her and Potter, or was it because she actually wanted to kiss him at some point? She didn't really want to think about the later.

"Did your…er…sister reply back to your letter?" Sirius asked, awkwardly.

"No but my parents did saying that I should come and to ignore Petunia. I'd rather my sister be happy on her day and that's without me in it."

"What will the rest of the family say when you're not there?"

Lily laughed. "Because my sister was never sent away for school, they think I've been sent to some kind of boarding school to make me less … rebellious."

"Are you a troublemaker?"

"I'm practically a fugitive. That's why I can't go home during the school year; the police are looking for me."

Sirius smiled. "Well, if you want to crash the wedding, I'll happily go with you. I could be your partner in crime."

"I'd love that, but not this wedding."

"Who's then?"

"I dunno." Evans shrugged. "You can crash mine if you think I'm gonna marry someone boring."

His smile grew wider. " _Love,_ I'll be by the alter cheering it on."

"How'd you figure?"

Black gasped. "Are you telling me I'm not going to be _your_ best man?"

Lily laughed and shook her head. "I'd like to get through this year first, and find a place to live, and get a job before thinking about marrying someone."

"Easy. You'll pass with Outstanding in everything. You can come live with me in that flat I've got. And you'll get a job in the Ministry."

"That's a nice offer but I was going to go home for a bit and sort my parents safety out."

"I'm so glad I don't have to deal with all that." Sirius said, honestly.

"What?"

"Having to worry about family. It sounds life draining."

"Don't you worry about them at all?"

"My parents could drop dead right now and I wouldn't give the tiniest shit about it." Black admitted. "Regulus…He has to go back to that hell hole every year and I feel sorry for him…Yeah, I guess I do worry about him."

Lily could tell Sirius was going to open up to her about his old life but the way he was talking, she didn't want him to. Not because she didn't want to hear it, she didn't want him to remember any of the pain he had to endure. "Sirius, you don't have—"

"No, it's alright, Lily. I want to."

She nodded, worryingly. "I saw him the other day in the Library. He looked…tired."

"Yeah, I've noticed as well. I've been looking on the Map and he's been going into the Restricted section, nearly every night."

"Do you know why?"

Sirius sighed and leant his head on the back of the sofa. "I can only imagine it's not good. Who knows what my parents have pushed him towards."

"Do you mean—-"

"I tried to protect him, you know. He was the only reason I stayed for so long in that House and dealt with all the shit my mother, and father, dished out." He whispered in pain. "I just hope, because he's a good little Slytherin, that they are treating him like you should treat a son."

"Did your parents….hurt you?"

"In every sense of the word. You name it, they did it, and anything you think is _unforgiveable_ , they did it."

Lily gasped. "You don't mean?"

"You'd be surprised at how intolerable I am to the Cruciatus curse." Sirius murmured and turned his head to look at Lily. She'd never seen his storm eyes look so young, fragile and with no mischief, or laughter. "Don't look at me like that, Lily. I'm alright. Prongs saved me. Nothing hurts anymore."

"Promise?"

He laughed, a little. "Promise."

"You don't have to say anymore, Sirius."

"I should have told you this a long time ago, Evans. It's nice to get it off my chest."

"I'm always here."

Sirius nodded.

"Do you think Regulus is a Death Eater?"

"There's no doubt about it."

"What are you two doing?" They heard Remus ask as he walked into the Common Room.

"What are you doing up?" Sirius replied as Lupin came over and sat down on the armchair as if it was nothing that he and Lily were talking. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"Prefect duty. I had to change mine this week because of next week." Lupin responded. "So, Peter was right. You guys haven't fallen out?"

Lily smiled, sheepishly.

"You two are in serious trouble if Sophia finds out."

"You wouldn't say anything, Moons."

"I'm not the one that broke up with Fenella and started seeing Sophia three seconds later. How'd you know Abercrombie doesn't know about….this? And what about all the other girls in here that would love to see you single again?"

"It's not my fault I'm what everyone wants. I can't just switch it off."

"And you, Lily." Remus said as he looked straight at the redhead, who couldn't help but cower under the very commanding stare. "Why did you let Sirius drag you into this?"

She answered, honestly. "I was, kinda, the one that suggested this."

"Lily, why?"

But she wasn't listening. The radio wasn't playing music anymore. Someone was talking. "Shush." Lily muttered as she turned the volume dial.

" _…I'm at the crash site, Iris."_ The male reporter said. " _The muggle emergency services are here, along with….Is that Alastor Moody?"_

"Isn't Moody an Auror?" She asked Black and Lupin worryingly.

They didn't say anything but looked at each other.

" _We are still working out who has been injured in this accident but it is predominately muggle motorists. We do not yet know if they have any connections to any witches or wizards but we urge our listeners to be careful on the roads. We do not know why they have attacked or if they will attack again tonight."_

The lady who presented to radio news broadcast, Iris, asked. " _Have the muggles seen the mark?"_

 _"Our Aurors have informed me that the mark has not been clear in this rainy weather, and that they have cleared it away, but they are conducting the memory charm on all the muggles who have been affected by the crash just incase."_ The male reporter informed. There was a bunch of undistinguishable noise and a shout for help. " _It looks like they've pulled someone from the worst hit car. Who is it? Who is it?!"_

" _Ed, how many cars have been hit by the Death Eaters?"_

 _"It's hard to tell, Iris. At least, four but at the speed these muggles drive on the motorway, cars that weren't hit by a spell have crashed as well. There is two lorries, a coach and a few dozen cars have been involved in this tragedy."_

 _"Have they told you who they have found?"_

 _"It's hard to tell. No one has found a….Hang on, they've found a wallet…It's a muggle…The Aurors seem to have a piece of paper they are checking to see if this man has a muggleborn at Hogwarts school…No, he does not."_

Lily listened intently to the whole broadcast with crossed fingers. She had no idea where in the country the crash was and didn't expect her parents to be driving on the motorway at such a late time.

It was near the end of the report when the tone of the male reporter changed. _"A muggleborn's family have been found, Iris. They weren't hit by the spells."_

 _"Do you have their names?"_

 _"The Aurors are not disclosing anything to me anymore but they have informed me that they have sent a message to Dumbledore about this horrible situation and the Headmaster will be talking to the muggleborn right now. I have been Edwin Halfpenny for the WWN News at Junction 7 of the M62, outside Liverpool."_

She let out a sigh of relief.

"Lily," Sirius began.

"It's not them. It's not my parents."


	10. Detention

**A/N: Thanks again for once more joining me on this story and glad you've all got this far. I hope you enjoy this one as much as the others. And Merry** **Christmas for you lovely lot have had two updates this month. YAY!**

 **And thank you to literally the best reviewer ever. Sophiecassiethalia you are my absolute favourite and thank you for commenting! I started this because TLAT didn't finish and I just kept going back to read it (cuz lets be honest, it's a gooooooood read) hoping the author would continue the story on for James and Lily to get together. It hadn't happened yet and this is kinda how I see it happening.**

 **PS. MaddieMorganGoode007 you will find that the last chapter was one of the shortest chapters (there was just less parts) There is a long part in this though.**

 **PPSS. Sorry but I had to steal (even though I'm already stealing) the coin idea because, lets face it, it is ingenious.**

 **PPPSSS. It's a bit of an abrupt ending (apologises) but if I continued to some type of end it would have been another chapter** **length, and even I know that's too long.**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling is The Night King and we are her Wights.**

 _Chapter 10 - 'Who and where and why and when' - Young Fathers_

 _(Herbology with a Ravenclaw)_

Tonight was the night Lily would take her detention. McGonagall had cornered her outside the Great Hall, one week ago, the day after she used the _Expomise_ spell on the two Slytherins, to discuss why she was getting the detention. _"Students shouldn't use spells—-"_

"Lily, are you listening?" James asked as they stood outside the greenhouses, away from the rest of the class.

"Huh?"

Potter's eyes filled with concern. "How much sleep did you get last night?"

"Er," She began as she tried to calculate the hours. Voldemort and his followers had been targeting muggleborns, and anyone associated with them, in very open, public places. It started with the car crash last week but since then, they've attacked a supermarket, a restaurant and a park. With each incident, a muggleborn student, at Hogwarts, had been affected. Lily couldn't help but feel an imminent doom for herself and her family, so of course she wasn't sleeping. "I think…er….an hour, maybe."

Lily could tell James was trying to word his next sentence carefully. "You can ask Slughorn for a sleeping potion or—-"

"No."

"No?"

"I'm not going to have a potion induced sleep, Potter."

"You need your sleeping, Lily." He shook his head. "I'm gonna ask McGonagall if she'll put back your detention."

"It's only cleaning cauldrons." She informed and then whispered with a glare. "I don't need you looking after me."

"Someone has to because you aren't looking after yourself."

"I'm fine, James. Worry about something else."

Potter sighed but didn't continue on the subject.

"What did you want me to listen to?" Lily asked him after a moment of silence.

"It was just a heads up."

"About?"

"Sophia."

Dippet hadn't remembered anything. She'd had a go at Sirius once more, like he predicted, and Lily had hoped they'd have their conversation again but it didn't happen. The last week had dragged with anticipation and Lily was almost giving up on waiting for Sophia to come to her. "What about her?"

"Remus told me—"

"He told you what?"

"That you and Padfoot haven't fallen out at all and have late night meetings in the Common Room."

She stuttered a few words before giving up. "Do you guys tell each other everything?"

"That's beside the point. And I'll let it slide that you didn't tell me about your little secret." James said. "I think, from what Sirius has told me, Sophia—-"

"Do you like her?"

Potter didn't respond straight away.

"You don't." Lily snickered.

"I didn't say that."

"It's an easy answer, you do or you don't. If you have to think about it then you obviously don't."

" _Well,_ I've known her since I was young, she's easy to talk to and I see the appeal—-"

She rolled her eyes.

"Hey," James laughed. "Would you rather I'd lie? She's attractive. Everyone knows it."

"Whatever."

"Jealous?"

"No."

He smirked. " _But_ , I don't really like what she made you and Sirius ' _fall'_ out, she's not _overly_ fun, she's spoilt—"

Lily gave him a look to _shush_ for he couldn't see Dippet walking over to them, for his back was to her. Her hair was still the hideous red and gold colour but it did look like it was fading. Sophia wasn't the only student to have had their hair transformed. All of the Slytherin Quidditch team had fallen victim to the Marauders spell, a few underclassman spies and both Captains of the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff team. James had got into trouble for altering students appearance but was also praised by McGonagall.

"Sophia, hi." Lily smiled, trying her best to not seem sarcastic.

"Lily, can we talk?"

"It's alright, I know what you are going to say."

"You do?" Dippet asked confused before she gasped. "Is that why I want to the pitch? Was I there to talk to you?"

Evans nodded.

"Do you know what I said?" She laughed. "That bloody amnesia spell hasn't lifted yet."

"That's the point." Potter said. "We don't want _your_ Captain to know our game plan."

"I think Boot has learnt his lesson, James."

"We'll see about that after our next practice."

"I'll have to make sure I don't show up for that one. I might end up turned into a frog or something." Sophia looked worryingly at Lily.

Lily smiled and chose to remind Dippet of what she had suggested. "I also said that we should try to be friends because maybe that's what the issue was."

"Yeah, we can sit in Herbology together."

"What? Today? Now?"

"Sure."

"Don't we have to start a group project today?"

"Yeah, we'll be working on it until Christmas break."

Lily tried not to look shocked or seem reluctant at the suggestion but she couldn't think of anything worse than having to do a six week project with Sophia. They'd have to sit by each other for all their Herbology lessons, do homework together and write their thesis' together. That was too much time spent with Sophia _fucking_ Dippet.

But it wasn't in Evans' character to be impolite and responded to Sophia, with a smile. "Sure. I'd like that."

Dippet did a little bounce. "Great. I'll go tell Sirius."

James snickered. "It's a good thing Sophia didn't notice your lack of enthusiasm."

"Shut up, Potter. Who are you going with?"

"I'd have suggested, maybe, you and I should of."

"Us?"

"How hard can it be to keep a plant alive?!"

Professor Sprout emerged from the greenhouse before Lily could say anything. "What are you lot doing? Come in, come in. Sit in pairs and open your books to seventy three."

"Why didn't you ask me then?" Lily asked as they walked into their class.

"I didn't think you'd say yes."

"Next time, just ask." She rolled her eyes and shook her head. Sophia waved at Lily, who was sitting right at the front of the class, and Lily waved back, humorously.

James smiled and walked to the back of the class. He sat down next to Sirius, before Peter could, which caused some sort of commotion.

Lily inhaled and walked over to Sophia with, Lily hoped, a genuine smile.

"This is going to be fun." The Ravenclaw whispered, excitedly.

Professor Sprout explained the task to the class, once everyone had quietened down. The pairs would select a plant each and grew it from seedlings, or off cuttings. They would then write their findings onto a five meeting length parchment, that would have date entries on the progress, graphs and various research from books.

"Class," The Professor bellowed with a grin. "I want everyone to have a plant pot with the right soil and a seedling in before the end of the class. If anyone has question, I'll be walking around asking you all which plant you have decided to grow and why. You may begin."

"So," Sophia said, urgently. "I'm thinking, because we both like Potions—-"

"You like Potions?"

"I'm not as good as you, Lily." The blonde smiled. "I want to be a healer, you see."

"You want to grow plants that would be used in a healing potions?"

"If you don't mind?"

"It sounds like a good idea."

Sophia clapped, thrilled. "Okay, okay, and then we can use the leaves, or roots, to make the potion and add that to our findings."

"I don't think we have to do that."

"How else will we know if the plants have grown properly?"

"By looking at them."

"Look, look. We'll grow 'easy' plants that don't take long to bloom and then we'll spend the rest of the time on the potions."

"I would rather be doing Potions than Herbology." Lily hummed as she started to contemplate Dippet's idea. "If we do this, we have to make sure we don't have to break a bone, or something worse, to see if the potion will work."

"Deal. I was thinking of growing dittany so I can make Essence of Dittany." Sophia nodded. Evans tried not the smirk for Essence of Dittany was one of the easiest potions to brew. "What do you want to grow?"

"Erm." She murmured as she flicked through her herbology book. "James says I should take a sleeping potion so maybe I should…..Here. I'll grow Valerian. How hard can it be? Hagrid grows them."

The two girls went on with tasks at hand. Lily fetched two small plant pots while Sophia went to tell Sprout what they had discussed. When the reconvened back at the table, Dippet was overly enthusiastic that the Professor had agreed. Lily wasn't sure if that was just Sophia or if that was how any Ravenclaw was when praised by a teacher.

Lily went to the back of the greenhouse to fill her pot with the correct soil. She was shortly joined by a grinning Sirius, who said. "Prongs told me you didn't mention the word _near_."

"I don't know what you mean." Lily replied with a smirk as she rummaged around in the unorganised boxes for the seeds she needed.

"You left it out, Evans."

"So what if I said, that she said, we could sit by one another. For all she knows, that is what she said."

Sirius' smile didn't falter. He edged closer to Lily and whispered. "Are we going to risk it?"

"I think you are risking it right now." She answered as she found the packet. "Its probably best if we just sit opposite each other or have someone in between us."

"I'll see you at Lunch, Miss Evans." He bowed and edged backwards to his table.

Lily couldn't help the smile on her face. Everything was fixing itself out, for once. And, even though, she had her scepticism about Dippet, the Ravenclaw was alright. She was a little too eager, and they had nothing in common, but she was easy to talk to.

 _(Prefect meeting with Slytherin)_

After Herbology, everything went back to normal. Sirius and Lily sat opposite each other at meal times and Marlene and Sophia's friendship rekindled as if the weeks they didn't speak didn't happen. However, with the gang back together, it was clear Emmeline wasn't around. It was clear she was seeing someone. Even Dippet started gossiping about it, which made Mary very happy and forgiving.

"I'll have to keep an eye out to see if anyone comes back late to our Common Room." Dippet said as they stopped outside the Prefect meeting room. McKinnon and MacDonald came as well but Lily knew it was because they hadn't finished gossiping about Vance.

"It's got to be a Ravenclaw." Mary informed. "She's more Ravenclaw than Gryffindor."

"All I know is, it isn't Mateo."

Marlene whispered. "Your brother could be keeping a secret from you."

"No, he's interested in Sylvia Jones, at the moment."

"The Hufflepuff seeker?"

"That's the one. I'll ask Boot if he knows anything. He'll know if anyone sneaking out of the boys dorm." Dippet said. "Aren't you and Emmeline meant to be best friends?"

"We are." Lily nodded.

"Why hasn't she told—-"

MacDonald interrupted. "This is what you've got to understand about all these stupid idiots—"

"Is she including us?" Marlene asked.

"Of course, I'm talking about you and Lily. None of them tell me anything, Soph. And if you ask them anything they shove food in their mouth, they straight up ignore you or they push you away."

"But doesn't everyone already know about Lily and—-"

"Yes, yes we know about….that."

"Know about what?" Lily asked.

"It's nothing." Mary smiled and then went back to whispering to Sophia, as if Evans wasn't there. "We all know about her and….him but, as her friend, I want her to tell it to me. You know?"

"Okay, thats enough from you, MacDonald. You can go now."

"See what I mean. Pushing me away."

"Bye." Lily waved and pushed the two Gryffindor's away.

"Fine." Mary huffed and walked away with Marlene in tow.

Evans turned around and opened the door to the room. It was already full of all the prefects.

"Finally." James shouted as she walked over to him. He lowered his voice once she was stood next to him. "Where have you been?"

"Outside. I thought I was early." Lily admitted. "How did you get passed me? You were still eating dinner when I left."

"I know the castle, Evans." He smiled. "Shall we begin?"

She nodded and addressed the prefects. "First off, we haven't changed any of the prefect duties. You are still with the same person and the same days. Does anyone have a problem with it?"

No one said anything even thought it was obvious Olive Finch wasn't happy to still be stuck with Remus.

"Good. Now to the matters we discussed last time."

"Lily and I," James began. "Have figured out the charm we must use to connect objects together so that we can communicate."

"About that." Omar Abasi piped up. "Us Ravenclaws can't see how the two of you will be able to communicate to us all. We've thought that each House should allocate a leader, who will communicate with you, and will also talk to their fellow housemates separately through a different object."

"I—-" Lily started.

"We agree with you completely, Abasi." Potter said and gave her a look to shush. James had managed to pass out a note to the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff prefects that there would be an additional meeting, after this one, without the Slytherin House. Lily was informed that Abasi and Abbot weren't surprised, nor did they question why the additional meeting was necessary. Maybe Omar, and James, were keeping something back for later. "I would like to anoint Remus Lupin as the leader of Gryffindor House."

"Remus isn't here, James, you can't just pick him." Lily muttered as Lupin was seeing his sick 'mother' today.

"Why not? Me and you will be keeping tracks of everyone, we need someone to have full focus on _our_ House." James smiled. "Does anyone from Gryffindor oppose?"

Silence.

"Remus Lupin is head of Gryffindor."

"I would like to lead Ravenclaw." Abasi raised his hand.

"Patricia for Hufflepuff." Douglas Macmillan shouted before she could say him.

Slytherin were the only ones to not say anything. They were huddled in the corner and talking in hushed voices. There seemed a little bit of an issue before they all fell silent and faced the front of the room again. "Snape." Helena Carrow grumbled.

"Okay, good." James said with a fake smile. "When you get back to your Houses, you need to all decide what one object you are going to use to communicate. Don't tell any other House."

"What are you going to use to communicate with us?" Abbot asked.

Potter twitched his neck as he tried to figure out how much of the information to tell. "We will use pocket mirrors so that we can talk face to face."

"Why?" Snape asked, intrusively.

Lily answered because she knew James wouldn't have worded it correctly. "They can closed easier if we just need to talk to one House, and if we are captured, or if we feel a House has been…compromised, then we can smash the mirrors quickly."

Tension flooded through the room. Slytherin knew they were the House Lily was referring to.

"Has anyone found any secret hideouts for their House yet?" James asked, trying to quickly get the attention back off her.

They all shook their heads. _Great,_ she thought. _It's a lost cause. Maybe I need to check that bloody map for myself._

"Can't we use one of the secret passageways out of here? We found one that leads to Hogsmeade." Archer Smith, a fifth year Hufflepuff, suggested, naively.

Potter looked at him as if he was the stupidest person he'd just met. "If you know about it, then Voldemort's gonna know about it. And we don't know who will be in Hogsmeade when we get down there."

"Should we learn the invisibility charm then?" Miraphora asked.

"Yes." Douglas nodded to his fellow Hufflepuff. "If we have to stay in a classroom we need to make sure we are invisible. We need to teach all the underclassman the spell."

"Which one?" Omar enquired as he wrote down in a notebook.

Lily spoke. "It has to be _the_ Invisibility Charm. The Disillusionment Charm is too risky if someone moves. And Macmillan is correct, we need to teach anyone who doesn't know it. I suggest when you have your mentor meetings that you should do it then."

"Another question we wanted to ask you guys to figure out was, how are we going to wake everyone up without alerting anyone?" James asked the group.

"What do you mean?" Fenella responded with the same expression as everyone else did.

"Voldemort's not going to show up in the daylight." Lily said, quoting what James had said to her a few weeks back. "If it's after everyone goes to sleep, me and James aren't going to wake anyone up by shouting in a mirror."

Sophia smiled with a nod. "Each Common Room entrance has some kind of noise canceling spell on—-"

"I'd like to agree with you there, Sophia, but as passed parties have indicated, they aren't fully soundproof." Potter informed. "I'm sure Gryffindor isn't the only House that has had a party stopped because their Head of House has come in because of the noise."

"Okay, we need to sort out soundproofing our Houses." Abasi said as he scribbled more things down onto an already full page. "Could we use an intruder charm?"

"Yeah, that would wake anyone up." Peakes agreed.

James looked at Lily for help but she was already answering the question. "I'll have a look to see if we can do that. I'm not sure if we can place four alarm points for one intruder charm."

"If it doesn't work we will have to come up with a different way of doing it." James commented. "Gryffindor will try it out this Friday evening and we will send notes to the leaders of the other threes Houses with our findings."

"We want to help." Abbot smiled, who got a nod from all her Hufflepuffs.

"And us." A fifth year Ravenclaw, who Lily should really know the name of, nodded.

"Okay." James smiled. "Those that wish to help and can help, should meet in the Entrance Hall after dinner has finished. I'll talk to McGonagall about it and I suggest you talk to your Heads of House to just inform them that a school wide….experiment is going on. Ravenclaw, Flitiwck, might be able to helpful if he can think of anything that might help us. If there is anyone on prefect duty that night, you and a few others will be on Filch watch. He'll be the only issue."

"Good." Lily smiled the same one James had. "We'll see you all on Friday then."

 _(Prefect meeting without Slytherin)_

"You're a git, do you know that?" Lily said. The two of them were eating chocolate while James glanced over the Marauder's Map. "Remus didn't ask for the leadership thingy you've given him. What's he going to say when he finds out?"

" _Thanks, Prongs, it was something I've always dreamed off.'_ " Potter mimicked his friends voice. "Gryffindor need someone to take control if something goes wrong and he's good at strategy. Always bloody beats me at chess."

"What's going to go wrong?"

"I don't know." James shrugged. "I die."

Lily rolled her eyes but let the matter rest. "You know how you say you guys _know_ the castle, what if you missed something?"

"Evans, you asked this last time. We spent nearly a year on the map, we couldn't have missed any-"

"What about the Chamber of Secrets?" Lily asked, curiously.

"We've…er…never found it."

"Is the Room of Requirements on your map?"

"Er…no. It's unplottable."

"So there could be more unplottable rooms in Hogwarts?"

"Yes." James pouted. "I knew them stubborn, old bastards were hiding something."

"What?"

"The portraits, Lily. They are all like the Fat Lady but I thought we'd managed to sweet talk them all into helping us."

"Weren't you guys like thirteen or fourteen?"

"Yeah."

Lily snickered. "You guys weren't very good at chatting up anybody—-"

"Hey!" Sirius' voice erupted into the room. She jumped out of her skin while James cursed and reached out into the air to grab something. He yanked his hand downwards to reveal Peter covering Sirius' mouth with his hand, but that didn't stop Black from making his point. "I think you'll find I was very charming and could chat up any of them paintings—"

"How long have you two been here?" Lily asked, with a glare.

"Does it matter?" Potter shrugged as he kicked the chair next to him for Peter to sit down in.

"Of course it matters, James. They aren't prefects."

" _Love,_ " Sirius said, flirtatiously, as he sat down on the table in front of her. "You were sensational—-"

"Flattery doesn't win you everything, Black." She grumbled and batted away his hand. "Why are you here?"

The three Marauders looked at each and James spoke. "The Map is something we all created—-"

"You're thinking about showing them the Map?" Lily interrupted, shocked.

"We don't know yet. They might not ask."

"Abase will, the sod." Wormtail muttered.

"But if they do, then we need to have a discussion together."

"Remus isn't here. He can't make his decision." Lily said.

James didn't clarify. Instead he folded up the map and quickly spoke. "Padfoot, Wormtail get back under the cloak….."

 _Knock…Knock. Knock….Knock._

James sighed as he made sure his friends were covered, and walked over to the door and opened it. "Abbot, that is not the secret knock."

"Fuck off, Potter, and let us in." The seventh year Hufflepuff smiled as she walked in with the rest of her House.

"You were all meant to arrive separately."

"Keep your knickers on, James." Phora laughed as she stood in front of him. "We made sure Slytherin wasn't around."

"How?"

"I consulted the crystal ball." She said, very seriously but then in the next breath casually asks. "Has someone opened a bar of chocolate?"

Ravenclaw and Gryffindor shortly followed, in the correct and informed fashion of arriving separately. But Lily wasn't happy. "Sanjay and Elspeth aren't you meant to be on duty tonight?"

"Yeah but isn't this more important?" Sanjay Patil, the sixth year Gryffindor, asked.

"We've got to make it seem like a normal night. If you guys are missing from duty, it's going to be obvious something is going on."

"Aren't you being paranoid, Evans?" Elspeth MacDougal, fifth year Ravenclaw, snickered.

James shook his head. "Lily is right. We've need to act like we aren't having this meeting. _Sniv—_ I mean Snape — He will know if something is wrong. You're fellow House prefects will fill you in later."

"Go. We'll tell you later." Omar agreed.

The two reluctant prefects left for their duties.

"Okay," Potter exhaled. "Thank you all for coming to this. We feel it is very important."

"So do we." Omar agreed, once more. "Slytherin House aren't to be trusted."

The other prefects nodded their heads, including James, who said, on a different topic. "I agree that each House has a communication system with their House leader but I would prefer it if everyone was able to see what me and Lily suggest is the best..…tactic."

Only Abasi seemed to disagree. "You cannot communicate with everyone, Potter—-"

"True. That is why I'd be telling you, Remus and Patricia, through the mirrors, the whole strategy so you can sort out _your_ Houses. But everyone needs to know the basics like 'Don't move' or 'Don't go to fifth floor' or 'Attack in the Great Hall' or something like that."

Sophia concurred. "Omar, they are the Heads. They need to talk to everyone."

Lily was grateful for Dippet in that moment. She was level-headed and brief, which seemed to sway the leader of the Ravenclaw House to agreement. "Okay. But what could be used?"

James shrugged. "I don't know. Something that everyone has on them and something that won't look suspicious."

"A watch, maybe?"

"Socks?" Someone said.

"Our school ties?"

"We could use a coin." Mina whispered into the distance.

No one said anything for a while as they thought it through. James smiled and pulled out a Sickle from his pocket. "That's not a bad idea." He laughing as he flicked it in the air. "All we need is to make hundreds of them."

"Easy." Hilliard Hobday spoke as he strolled over to take the coin and place it onto the nearby table. "We've just learnt about this in Transfiguration."

Hobday outstretched his wand arm and said " _Geminio"_ at the coin. It erupted, like a volcano, hundreds upon hundreds of Sickle coins as they all clinked onto the floor. Everyone clapped and cheered at the incredible sight. Hilliard twisted his hand, put it back to his side, and the coins stopped.

"Mate." James smiled and patted the Ravenclaw on his back. "Nicely done."

Lily stepped forward and took two of the fake coins from the pile. She waved her wand around the two and spoke the incantation for the Protean Charm, while circling her wand towards the coin mountain, as well. It worked instantly. "These two in my hand will be the master coins that only me and Potter will have. When we communicate with you, the writing, on the tail side of the coin, will be the instructions."

"How will we know when you have changed it?" Fenella asked.

"The side effect of the charm is it will heat up the object when we change anything." She informed. "So, if you all take one and then pass them out to _everyone_ in your Houses. They aren't to be messed with, they aren't to be used as money, and they have to be on you at all times."

"Do you think something will happen soon?"

"No but we cannot be certain." James shook his head. "We will test these out on Friday when we are testing out the sound issue."

"But aren't Slytherin meant to be helping too?" The fifth year Ravenclaw boy asked.

"If they show up, don't show them."

"How will we know—-"

"Lily said they will get warm so you'll feel it." Potter replied with a tad of condescension.

The room went quiet as the prefects collected their coins and the House leaders took, approximately, enough coins for all their housemates.

"How will you guys be able to know everything that is going on?" Omar asked, curiously.

James responded. "What do you mean?"

"How are you going to know where all of us are? What places are being attacked? Who needs to not move? Whether you break the mirror to Slytherin or not?"

"Give us one second." Potter said and ushered Lily away into the far corner, where she assumed the other two Marauders were standing.

"I told you he'd ask, the prick." Peter's voice muttered.

"What do you think we should do? If we say we have a map, he's going to want to see it."

Sirius whispered. "Bloody git. Why wouldn't he just take your word for it?"

"Padfoot, he's a Ravenclaw."

"What if you just show him and Abbot it?" Lily suggested.

"They will see we made it, Evans."

"Just cover the ridiculous 'Messr's blah blah blah'—-"

"We have names you know." Sirius grumbled.

Lily continued, ignoring Black. "—-and hide the Marauder bit and, then, they won't know."

"What about the ' _I solemnly swear—_ "

"Have it working now." She muttered and faced James. "Do you trust me?"

He nodded, took the folded piece of parchment out of his back pocket and said the words to make the map work.

Lily turned around to the room and spoke. "This strictly stays between us."

They all nodded.

"Dumbledore has given myself and James an enchanted map of the school."

There was whispers throughout the room.

She spoke up louder. "It can see where everyone is—-"

"I don't believe you." Abasi stated. "How can a map know where everyone is?"

"It just does….Anyway, the Headmaster has entrusted us with this magical item and can only be used by the two of us, plus Dumbledore." Lily lied. "We will be able to see who is in the castle, where they are and if there is any trouble."

"Show us."

"I'm afraid we can't."

Sophia stuck up for Lily, again. "Omar, Dumbledore has given it to them. Even by telling us they are breaking a promise between themselves and the Headmaster. They are trusting us to do the right thing so we have to trust them."

Lily could of kissed her.

It was clear Abasi wanted more answers - he wanted to see this 'map' - but what Dippet said had worked. He agreed and the matter dropped, but Lily knew he'd ask again, and again, and again. There was one thing she was uncertain of, if Potter would actually show it.

 _(Detention is looking after a werewolf)_

She wasn't alone in the Potion's classroom. Professor Slughorn was sitting at his desk, with an amiable smile, as he read his latest letters from his past students. There was also another student working in the background. Lily tried not to look at him because she could tell he was watching her.

"Lily, I do hope you write to me once you've left school." He said, at one point, while she was elbow deep in murky, disgusting water. "You too, Regulus. One can only wonder what amazing things you two will get up to."

"Yes, sir." The two students nodded, simultaneously.

"Did the two of you get the invite for our first Club meeting? It's on the first of November."

Again, they replied in unison. "Yes, sir."

With a pleased smile, Slughorn fell back into silence and continued to read his correspondences. Lily would normally reflect on her actions that got her in detention but this time, she didn't feel guilty for what she did. In fact, she'd do it again without a seconds hesitation.

"Lily." The Potions Professor spoke as he stood up and walked over to her. "I heard you are growing Valerian in your Herbology class."

She nodded. "I'm growing the plant to see if I can make a sleeping potion and to see how the growing process with effect the efficiency of the potion."

"Excellent." Slughorn grinned. "For the best results, I would suggest using some leaves from other Valerian plants. I'm sure Hagrid and Professor Sprout wouldn't mind. I certainly don't mind you taking some from the Potions cupboard."

"Thank you, sir."

"Have you ever made a sleeping potion?"

"Yes. We made the Sleeping Draught in second year."

"Yes. Yes." He nodded. "It's always best to test ingredients with a simpler potion. But, perhaps, in our next lesson together we should create the Potion for Dreamless Sleep. It does use Valerian."

"That would be very helpful, Professor." Lily smiled as she wiped her hand on the nearest towel.

"I will see you on Friday for our lesson." Slughorn beamed as he dismissed her from her detention. "Regulus, you too may leave."

Quickly, Evans picked up her bag and exited the room. But the younger Black had the same idea of leaving first and they met abruptly at the doorway. Regulus might look like his brother but he wasn't as confident, nor as mischievous, as Sirius. Normally, he had the air of a Slytherin but on that day, when she looked at him, something was off. He wasn't the pretentious pureblood; he was a sixteen year old boy lost and confused. Was it just what Sirius had said about his brother seeming different clouding her judgement or was Regulus Black out of sorts?

He seemed to read her mind and straightened himself. "You know nothing, Evans." He murmured as he walked passed her and out of the doorway.

Lily walked in the opposite direction, up into the castle, to get to the Gryffindor Common Room. It was fairly busy in the corridors which was strange. It was close to curfew, so Lily believed, but there was still first and second years running about the place with arms full of books.

"Miss Evans!" Professor McGonagall's voice boomed from somewhere behind her. Lily turned around on the stairs and saw the Head of Gryffindor House walk over to her. "What are you doing out of your detention?"

"Professor Slughorn said I could leave. I cleaned all the cauldrons he asked me to do, Professor." Lily answered, honestly.

"Horace is always too soft on you, Lily." McGonagall shook her head. "I'm sorry, Miss Evans, but your detention isn't finished."

"But isn't it nearly ten?"

"It's precisely twenty to nine. You still have a few more hours remaining."

"But—-"

"No buts, Miss Evans. You have used magic three times on members of the Slytherin House. The first two times you were let off lightly but a third time is is uncalled for, especially when they did not draw their wands." McGonagall explained in a stern tone. "You are to go to the Trophy Room and clean _all_ of them."

The Professor of Transfiguration didn't let Lily walk on her own to the Trophy Room, McGonagall followed in tow.

Lily's heart sank when she walked into the room. She'd never been in there before and never in her wildest dreams had she thought about how many trophies the school had. Hundreds upon hundreds of different size trophies filled the room in a labyrinth of shelves and bookcases.

McGonagall gave her a look before closing the door.

Evans heavily sighed and picked up the cleaning equipment, that had been left in the back corner to sit amongst the cobwebs. She tried not to be grossed out by the dirty rag but Lily wasn't too keen on dust.

The enormity of the task at hand dawned on her when she first started to polish the first trophy. It was dated back to the thirteenth century and was awarded to a …. Lily couldn't tell. Not that she cared. She only cared about the date because if that trophy was the oldest one in the room, then there certainly was hundreds of trophies left to clean, and then she wouldn't get chance to hear the radio.

She _needed_ to hear that radio broadcast or she wouldn't sleep at all.

There was no sense of time in the room. Had she been there for an hour? Two? Three? Lily didn't know but she felt like she'd be forgotten and that McGonagall wouldn't come back to release her.

 _Tap. Tap._

Lily spun around but there was no one in the room. Was she imagining it? Was it Peeves?

 _Tap. Tap._

She ignored them hoping they would go away.

 _TAP. TAP._

"For fuck sake." She swore as she turned around, again, and started to walk in-between the mountains of trophies. Yet still there was no one there.

Evans went back to polishing when an almighty crash erupted to the left of her. She ducked down, with her hands over her head, as trophies flew off their shelves in a huge cascade of metallic rain. Lily stood up with all the confidence she could muster, grabbed her wand and pointed it at the part of the room that had just been destroyed.

But it hadn't been destroyed. There was no hole in the wall but an open window that had been covered by a bookcase. Slowly, she edged her way over to the window and once she saw what caused the crash, she couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"What the hell, Potter?" Lily said, angrily, as she watched the boy fly into the room. He was carrying an extra broomstick and had a weird expression on his face. "Are you trying to kill me?"

"I was knocking on the window."

"I didn't know there was a window."

James dismounted from his broom and casted a spell to put the room back in order. "You can use magic to help clean these trophies."

"It's against the rules."

"No one is here to know." He pointed out and flicked his wand once more to animate the cloth to clean the vast amount of awards Lily hadn't gotten round to.

Lily waited for James to say something but he didn't. He stood there with a peculiar facial expression - she couldn't tell if it was worry, nervousness or doubt - but she knew something was wrong. He even looked a little pale. "Everything alright?" She asked, calmly.

He brushed a hand through his always unkept hair and sighed. "I need your help."

"My help?"

"We can't find Peter."

"Have you checked the map?"

"Of course we've checked the bloody map. He's not on it." Potter replied, a little aggravated. He closed his eyes and reached out to touch the nearest shelf for balance. "Sirius is out there looking for him right now but he's injured—"

"Injured?" Lily gasped and then pieced together James' unusual actions. "You're injured too?"

"It's alright, Evans."

"No, no." She said, adamantly and walked over to him. "Let me see."

"Honestly, Lily. It's okay. It's just a scratch."

"James, let me see."

Potter sighed, because he knew he couldn't win the argument against her, and lifted up his grey jumper to reveal a very bloodstained shirt. Lily didn't hesitate and pushed his shirt up to see the incredibly long scratch from the side of his ribcage to the front of his stomach. "You need to get to the hospital wing." She suggested as she continued to examine the wound with her fingers.

"Use that charm—-"

"This is from a werewolf, James. You need to have a potion to fix it."

"Use the damn charm, Evans, and I promise when the night is over, I'll go and get the potion."

"But—"

"There is no time." He winced. "Wormtail is missing, my best friend is injured and Remus… He's in a worser state than all of us."

"Sit down then."

"What?"

"Sit your arse down, Potter."

He obeyed and stayed quiet while Lily incanted _Vulnera Sanentur_ over his wounds. She concentrated on the effected area because she daren't look up for she knew he was looking at her and she wasn't sure what would happen. Lily wasn't sure on anything related to Potter but, at the moment, the emotion she was feeling was alien and she didn't want to reveal it, to him, through her eyes.

"That's the best I can do," Evans whispered as she felt the scratch. It wasn't bleeding anymore and the skin had joined back together but it would never heal without the potion.

James looked down at his torso. Their heads were very close together. "Better than anything I could do."

Finally, she met his eyes and immediately regretted it, but couldn't look away. Something unspoken passed between the two of them and Lily knew something had changed. She could feel his hand move to her face.

"You're welcome." She said, quickly, and stood up faster than a whippet. "Your friends need you."

James laughed, as he stood up, still a little bit off balance. "Er, you're coming too. Why else would I carry an extra broomstick?"

"I can't—"

"Lily, I wouldn't ask if I thought you'd be in danger." He said, honestly and picked up the two broomsticks. James outstretched his arm with the broom for Lily. "Trust me."

"You have to tell me what happened?"

"I'll tell you while we fly."

"Fine." She muttered and grabbed the broom from his hand.

"And here." James smiled as he reached for his back pocket and produced his Invisibility Cloak. "You'll need this."

"No, you need—"

"I'll be a stag, Evans. No one is going to know its me."

Lily accepted the cloak and tucked it into her trouser pocket. She mounted her broom and kicked off the ground at the same time Potter did. (Lily wouldn't admit this to anyone but she had been practicing on a normal broom to make sure her posture was correct so, that if she did ever ride a broom again, she wouldn't fly off at light speed). As the daunting task of flying through a window became more obvious, Lily began to panic. "You might have to help me get out of the window."

Potter smiled and grabbed the end of her broom. She closed her eyes.

"You're going to need to open your eyes, Evans."

"I will when we get through the window."

"Why? Afraid of heights?"

"No. I'm afraid of hitting the wall and falling to my death _from_ a massive height."

"I'd save you."

Lily rolled her eyes behind her lids as she felt a chilly blast of wind hit her face. "Sure, Potter."

"You can open your eyes now."

She did and felt the darkness swallow her whole. She couldn't see anything. No lights were on in the castle. No lights in the distance. Her whole being became clammy and jittery as the fear of hovering in the air enveloped her. "Okay, maybe I am afraid of heights." Lily whispered as she carefully reached into her pocket for her wand. " _Lumos._ "

"We are going to fly straight to the Whomping Willow." James explained as he guided her in the direction.

"Aren't I helping you find Peter and use the healing charm on Sirius?"

"Remus—"

"I can't go near Remus, James. He's—"

"He can't hurt you, Lily." Potter whispered as the fly close to the Headmaster's office. "Something…weird happened tonight. I think he smelt something and he went mental. He attacked Sirius. I was trying to break them apart, so I don't know who the scratch is off, and I…. Basically, Remus is seriously injured and unconscious. I know, I know, he's meant to heal but Mooney isn't….."

"It's alright, James. I'll stay with him." She said, hoping it would calm James' worries.

"Promise me, you will stay away from him and you will put up a protective spell around yourself."

Lily nodded as they began to descend. The willow was peaceful until the pair got within ten metres of it. It's long armlike branches started to sway violently. James reached for a nearby branch and prodded the base of the tree. It took several attempts before he hit the correct knot. The tree stood still and peaceful once more.

James led the way through the tunnel. "Put the cloak on as soon as I leave and do not take it off until I get back."

"How long will you be?"

"Who knows? We have to get out of here before Madam Pomfrey or Professor Dumbledore help him back to the castle."

Lily had a sense of deja vu as she walked through the dark, damp tunnel. Last year, Snape had invited her to come see what lived in the Shrieking Shack. She never got to see Remus, nor did she get to see the other Marauder's in animagus form, for James had been in human form when he grabbed her and pulled her to safety. But the truth was out and they had to tell her, especially when Snape had seen everything.

The trapdoor, that led to the foyer of the Shack, loomed over them. "Will he remember any of this?" Lily asked as James pushed upwards.

"He remembers bits and pieces." He replied. James lifted himself up and held out his hand for her. She took it. "If he wakes up, do not go near him, Lily."

"Yeah, you've covered the 'don't go near him' part." She said as she brushed off the dirt from her uniform. It was hard to make out the room they were standing in. The flames from the floating candles, that seemed to light the way up a flight of stairs, didn't produce that much light, they seemed to make more shadows.

"I'm being serious."

"I know."

There was a creak from upstairs. James pushed her behind him as he listened out for more noises. The wind howled through the boarded up windows and pushed the walls from side to side. "It's just the wind." He exhaled. "I need to go check on Remus and then I'll come back down."

Lily nodded and stood frozen in her spot. She'd seen too many muggle horror films, that involved old houses, to know to stay still. She had her eyes peeled between the only exit and the archway Potter had walked through.

She could hear his two feet, and then there was the sound of four hooves clambering up a staircase. There was a slight pause. James had stopped to check on his friend. Two footsteps could be heard again. Lily was a little bit disappointed that she hadn't seen him as a stag because, she had to admit, it would have been impressive.

"Mooney is still asleep and I've put a protective charm around him." James spoke, a little more relaxed. "You are to put the cloak on, walk to the corner of the room, put a protective charm around yourself and stay put. Do you know the bewitched sleep spell?"

She nodded.

"Good. Now, put the cloak on."

Evans did as she was told and wrapped herself up in the smelly fabric.

"I will be back as soon as I can but—"

"I know, 'don't take the cloak off unless you come back.'"

James nodded and had the presence of someone who wanted to say more but didn't. He turned around, opened the trap door and disappeared.

Lily carefully walked to the staircase by following the candles. She tried not to think about how dirty or dusty the house was. She tried not to think about why the paper was peeling off of the walls or what had caused the floorboards to rot. She wouldn't think about all the germs and bacteria that riddled the place. No. She needed to think about her friend and what he needed. Yes, she promised James to stay away but how could she if Remus was in pain.

The room, James had referred to, was very disordered. Rags of cloth hung from the ceiling, every piece of furniture was broken and the mattress, in the corner Potter had suggested, was ripped beyond repair.

She didn't see Remus until she sat down and her heart sank. She didn't have time to realise he was a wolf. All she saw was her friend curled up in an uncomfortable position against a cracked wall. Two of his legs were sticking out in peculiar angles and his fur was completely covered in blood.

 _It's alright, Evans._ She thought to herself as she tried to blink back tears. _He's breathing. See. His chest is moving. In. Out. In. Out._

Lily calmed herself down by following his breathing pattern. They were shallow breaths, which she worried about greatly, but it wasn't alarming any bells for her. Once settled in her space, she incanted the strongest protection spell she knew and prayed that would be strong enough to hold back a werewolf.

Again, she was left in a room with no sense of time. There wasn't much to keep the mind busy so she practiced a few spells, played thumb wars against herself, daydreamed of nothing in particular and paced around for a little bit trying to keep herself warm. Occasionally she'd check to make sure Remus was still asleep, which he was.

But as the night progressed into, what Lily assumed to be, a cold October morning, Lupin began to shivering. All of James' precautions flew out the window when she saw her friend cold. She stepped outside of her protective barrier and began to grab every piece of cloth that was in the room. Lily draped them over Remus, from a safe distance, but still he was shaking.

 _Is he waking up?_ Her automatic thought was but it didn't move her back. Instead, she tiptoed nearer and gently placed a hand on his back. His fur was matted and dry but he wasn't cold to the touch. In fact, he was radiating heat.

Lily stayed stroking his back, as it lifted up and down with each breath, for what seemed like hours until a sound was heard downstairs. Quickly, and quietly, she moved back to her corner and waited.

It wasn't long before a cautious black nose sniffed the air in the doorway. It snorted and sniffed once more, this time it's whole face moved in to view. Sirius Black's grey eyes were fixed on Remus. His head was low as he continued to smell around his friend. Suddenly, the dog's head turned sharply towards where Evans was sitting. Sirius knew she was there. His head didn't waver from it's low position but Lily could see the mischievousness in his eyes, as he strolled over to her.

Sirius paced in front of Lily. She could see where he'd been attacked. He had the same type of scratch as James but Sirius had a few on his face and his front left foot seemed to be injured, as he seemed to be limping on it.

His head turned sharply to the doorway. His ears moved backwards and forwards. He lowered himself to the ground, ready to pounce. Lily reached for her wand.

 _Squeak. Squeak._

Lily tried not to jump out of her skin as she saw the rat. Wormtail scurried over to Sirius, who was growling, as another sound was heard in the house. The sound of hooves galloping up stairs.

The stag bowed his head to get his huge antlers through the archway but, once through, kept them low as he edged closer to where Sirius and Peter were. Lily was transfixed on the unbelievable beauty of the stag. So much so she didn't pay attention to anything else in the room. She didn't notice that Wormtail and Padfoot had changed back to their human selves. She didn't notice Peter backed up against the wall with his friend pointing a wand at his face.

Not until Sirius spoke. "Where the fuck did you go?"

"I found him near Hogsmeade." James explained and stood in front of Lily. She shuffled to get a better view.

Peter stuttered. He looked his normal self unlike Sirius. "I….I….I freaked, okay? Remus nearly got me and I—"

"He got all of us, you idiot." Black snapped. His left hand looked broken and the scrapes on his face had started to bleed again. "You weren't in Hogsmeade the whole time, Peter. I followed you."

"Followed me?"

"Come on, I'm a bloody dog, mate. I can track you."

"Then you should have smelt the other smell _I_ was following."

Sirius stayed silent. He let his grip on Peter go and put his wand away. The adrenaline that had kept Black going was started to dwindle: the colour of his skin got whiter and he became unsteady on his feet.

"The one that Mooney smelt?" James asked.

Black nodded.

"Did you know who it was?"

"The only one who knows is Remus." He shook his head and winced. Sirius touched his neck as more bloody flowed from his wounds. "There's no point standing there, Prongs, I know Lily's there."

"Evans is here?" Peter asked, as he looked from James to area behind him.

"She's sitting on that horrible mattress. Can you not smell her perfume?"

"I thought it was on Prongs."

Lily scoffed as she let the cloak fall to just show her head. "I came to look after Remus, you gits."

"Is that why he's all covered up?"

"Who else would have done it, Wormtail?" James asked.

"I dunno. Sirius."

"For Merlin's sake, that was one time I put a blanket over Lupin when he was asleep." Sirius flinched once more when he spoke. "And, Evans, _please_. I'm practically dying over here."

Lily dropped the cloak as she stood up and hurried over to Black. He looked worser up close. She sang the healing incantation, he's skin started to heal, but she stopped at his broken hand. "I don't know if I can fix this."

"You must know some charm."

" _Ferula_." She said as she tapped his hand. Bandages spun around his hand. There was a slight inhale of breathe, from Sirius, as the bandages tightened and constricted. "It's not mended but it will ease the pain."

"Cheers, _Love._ "

Lily smiled, sweetly. "Anytime."

"We've got to take you back to the castle." James said, urgently.

"I'm not going anywhere, Potter."

"Dumbledore—-"

"I'll be under the invisibility cloak."

"But—-"

"You brought me into this, James, so I'm seeing it through. Remus isn't leaving my sight until he's safely in a hospital bed."

Potter scowled. "Evans, _we_ aren't supposed to be here. Dumbledore doesn't know we are Animagi."

"So you leave Remus here?"

The three nodded.

"Fine." She muttered. "But I'm going straight to the Hospital Wing afterwards."

 _(The smell)_

"I can't believe you are making me do this." Evans said as she looked through the medicine cabinet. Herself and the three Marauders had waited patiently for Madame Pomfrey to leave the Hospital Wing, and they were now ransacking the place to look for a potion. "This is stealing."

"We do it all the time." Sirius admitted, casually. "No one's going to notice."

"That doesn't make it right."

"Can someone tell me why we keep her, the killjoy, around?" Black asked, rhetorically. "If we don't find it, you will lose your best friend—-"

"You are not my best friend."

"—-and your boyfriend—-"

"Potter is not my boyfriend!"

"—-in the same night."

Lily refused to argue because it was clear Remus had scratched them, and if their wounds remain unhealed, then it could be fatal. "How are you going to explain your hand?"

"I don't know." Black shrugged. "I'll say I punched the wall."

She rolled her eyes.

"I've found it!" Peter shouted from the other end of the room.

"Shut up, Wormtail." Sirius whispered, loudly and angrily, as he walked over to his friend. James and Lily followed. Black sat on the bed, rolled his blood drenched shirt and smiled to Lily. "Nurse Evans, can you do the honours?"

"Urgh." She said and took the vial from Pettigrew. She applied the silver and dittany paste onto Sirius' wounds. They began to smoke as the ointment did it's work. "Hurt much?"

"Don't enjoy my pain, _Love_."

After she'd finished with Sirius, she turned and looked at James, who seemed a little sheepish and flushed. "I'll do it myself."

Lily ignored Sirius and Peter's snickers. " _I'll_ do it. Just sit down."

Potter listened and sat down next to Black. Lily tried not to acknowledge her touching James' skin. She tried not to think about it at all. But the monster inside of her, the one that seemed to crave him, made sure she applied it on tentatively and methodically. It made her inside flutter. It made her….

"Is he waking up, Poppy?" Dumbledore's voice asked as the Hospital Wing doors opened and closed. The four Gryffindor's panicked and rushed behind the pulled back partition as the two adults wheeled in Remus, into the bed opposite. If Dumbledore or Pomfrey turned around they'd see them.

"He shouldn't be." The Nurse of Hogwarts replied as James pulled the Invisibility cloak around the four of them. "Albus, I need to mend his arm and leg first."

"Yes. Yes." nodded the Headmaster as he got out of the way. Pomfrey used the bone-mending charm. Lily watched as a intrigued student because she knew she'd have to repair Sirius' hand. Once the nurse had done all her spells, Dumbledore said. "Don't you think he seemed more agitated than usual."

"He doesn't normally come back with broken bones."

"Can't we wake him?"

"It's best if he wakes up on his own."

Remus did wake up on his own. In that second, his whole body shook and then went completely rigid. Lily couldn't see clearly but knew her friend was frightened of something. Dumbledore picked up on this and placed a caring hand on Lupin arm. "Remus, Remus, you are in the Hospital. Everything's alright."

"No, no, I need to warn them." Mooney replied, hysterically.

"Who?"

"My friends."

"Why?"

"I smelt…..Everyone's in danger."

"Who? Who did you smell?"

"Fenrir...He's...Greyback's here."


	11. Myrtle

**AN: Hullo! Happy New Years to all. I hope 2018 is better than 2017.**

 **Sophiecassiethalia you are literally the best person in the world. That review got me very emotional and excited that someone is enjoying this story, and understands it. I'm so glad you like badass Lily, I'm thrilled you love Sirius and Lily's friendship and I absolutely love the fact you understand that Lily and James are two separate people. If I had tumblr, I would totally follow you. :X**

 **Speaking of tumblr, I have started to draw all the characters from this story (well I'm going to anyway and they will be of the girls mainly because even though this story is about relationships and _boys,_ the main theme of this is about girl power and being individual from the bloke) because I am a drawer more than a writer. I had started it on instagram but I hate the format. Is tumblr better? I feel like it's gonna be better. If this idea is going to happen, I will tell you in the next AN on the next chapter. Look out for madicon on tumblr.**

 **I've been waiting to write the last part of this chapter since the first day I started writing this! So I'm sorry that it's taken a long time to upload this - I wanted it to be perfect.**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling is our master and we are her elves.**

 _Chapter 11 - 'How can I sleep if I don't have dreams? I just have nightmares.' - The Neighbourhood_

 _(Almost)_

It was just the two of them in the Common Room. It had been for some time now. Lily couldn't remember what had happened but she was injured, and so was he. She was sitting in an armchair while he was standing by a table, far away from her, with his head hunched between his shoulder blades. She knew something was wrong; Potter was never silent.

"It's not your fault—"

James slammed his hands on the table, out of frustration, and turned around on the spot. He rubbed his hands through his hair and said something.

"James," She said, concerned. "I can't hear you."

But it was clear he couldn't hear her either for his mouth kept moving.

"Potter!"

He stopped and looked at her as if for the first time. An odd sensation ran through her body. It wasn't new, she'd felt it for a while, but it was stronger now, more realised.

James walked over and knelt in front of her, between her legs. She shuffled forward so that they were only inches apart. He searched her face with his eyes and used his hands to pull back her hair. Lily felt him touch a newly formed scar on her forehead. His mouth moved.

"You've got the same one." She whispered as she touched his. James had many scars on his face. Lily couldn't remember why, or how, they both got them.

Potter smiled and looked into her eyes, as if searching for an answer. His hands cupped her face. He said something. Even though she couldn't hear him, something inside of her bubbled up; something that had been ready to be ignited for months. James leant forward. Lily felt herself lean towards him—

CRASH.

"Stebbins!" Professor Slughorn's bellowed from across the classroom. "Carry the cauldrons one at a time."

"Huh." She muttered as she woke up from her daydream. "Wha—Potions?"

"The end of Potions." Snape's drawled.

Lily sat upright and noticed everyone in the class collecting their books up. "The end—But—I missed it."

"I made extra notes for you."

"Thanks, Sev."

"Get some sleep, Lily." He ordered, worryingly, as he stood up ready to leave. Snape walked to the front of the class and took something from the Slughorn's desk. He came back to her and placed a phial of purple potion in front of her. "Take this if you have to."

"You can't just take the potion, Sev."

"Slughorn said we can. He only said it because of you."

"Me?"

"You're his favourite, Lily, and he's not allowed to show favouritism so he offered it to the whole class. Potter took like twenty so you better watch yourself there."

"He wouldn't—"

"Have you forgotten who Potter is?" Severus said with a poignant look before he walked away.

Lily couldn't forget about Potter. The dream was still lingering in the back of her mind like a toxic cloud.

 _I need to wake up properly._ She thought to herself as she packed everything back into her bag, in a rush, and exited the classroom without looking back. _I just need to move._

"Evans," She heard James say but she carried on walking. He caught up with her, anyway. "Did you get any sleep last night?"

She ignored him.

Potter walked in front of her and stopped. She also stopped but couldn't look him in the eye. His hand touched her chin.

"Get off me." Lily snapped as she stepped backwards from him. The aching beat of her heart, the one she'd felt during the dream, hadn't shifted and Was growing with every second she was standing next to him.

"Why can't you look at me?"

Evans looked at him quickly, pulled a face, and then went back to looking passed him. She had seen the concern in his hazel eyes. "Stop worrying about me, Potter."

"You fell asleep in class. That's not like you."

"Well, maybe, that's what I do now."

He laughed. "Here's a tip, Evans. If you want to take a nap, don't sit at the front of a classroom."

"I didn't know I was going to fall asleep." She glared and walked passed him, determined to get to Transfiguration class on time. "And you can't be having a go at me. Hypocrite."

"What are you on about?" James asked he is, once more, walked next to her.

"You've been checking that bloody map since—" Lily snapped and then whispered. "Since Remus said about Greyback being here. I know you haven't been sleeping either."

After what Lupin had told Dumbledore, two days ago, the Headmaster had put down a strict curfew. No one was to leave the castle unless accompanied by a teacher. Care of Magical Creature's pupils had to be escorted by Filch every lesson - it was starting to annoy Peter who's pregnant Kneazle needed more looking after than other students creatures - and Quidditch Practice's were watched over by the teams Heads of House. No one was happy about it because no one knew why the curfew was in place.

Except Lily and the Marauders. Evans knew James was checking that map every second he had the chance. She saw him in class, at the dinner table, in the Common Room, sneakily looking in his pocket. It didn't settle her nerves to see James so unsure.

James shrugged, indifferently. "I'll sleep better knowing we have the alarm systems in tonight."

"What if it doesn't work? It can't be that easy for it to work first time."

"Where's you're optimism, Evans?"

"Only people with luck are optimistic." Lily replied, bluntly.

"It's a good thing I'm the luckiest person in the world." He winked as they arrived to the Transfiguration classroom in the nick of time. James opened the door for her and smiled. "After you."

She smiled back and walked into the classroom looking for a seat next to one of the Gryffindor girls, but Potter took her arm and dragged her to one of the empty tables at the back. He stopped at a table, behind Peter and Remus and sat down. "What are you doing?"

"Like I said, Evans, if you want to nap, you do it at the back of the classroom." James informed. "Oh, and rule number two, sit by someone who will wake you up when the teacher is walking around."

Professor McGonagall started her lesson prompt as always. As she began to introduce body transfiguration and the theory behind it, two notes fell onto Lily's desk. One was from a crippled piece of torn parchment and the other was a crisply folded piece. She knew who had sent them and decided to open Marlene's crumbled one.

 **What are you doing? I saved a seat for you! I'm now stuck with bloody McLaggen. - McKinnon aka McKidiot**

Lily felt a little guilty. Tiberius McLaggen wasn't the greatest person, even though he thought he was. The Ravenclaw's arrogance was overpowering and he's constant talking about Nogtail hunting bored everyone to death. Lily had only crossed paths with him at the Slug Club parties and that was barely tolerable.

 _Why didn't you sit next to Mary or Emmy?_

 **Earth to Evans. I want to sit by you so I told them to fuck off else where**.

 _Where are they then?_

 **Who knows about Mary and Emmeline's with Boot, for Merlin sake. I didn't even think she knew the guy. Wanker**

 _They seem to be getting on._ Evans replied after looking at her friend and the Ravenclaw Captain. They were smiling at each other and laughing. It was a little odd, she had to admit, as Vance wasn't the most sociable girl in Hogwarts and it seemed out of character for her. Lily quickly scribbled another note. _They must know each other. Have they sat together in class before?_

Marlene didn't reply for some time - McGonagall had started to walk around the classroom inspecting people's progress - which left the note she hadn't opened to taunt her. Even James asked about it.

"Why haven't you opened that one?" He inquired, quietly.

"It's from Mary."

"So?"

Lily gave him a look. "You know what she's like. It's going to be about the fact that me and you are sitting together like it's some colossal moment in time."

"Of course it's a big deal, Evans." Potter smirked as he stretched back and throw his arm around the back of her chair. "You'll look back on this day and think 'I've always been in love with James Potter.'"

"Ha." She replied. "I don't think so."

James continued to smile but his attention fell back onto the table. He nodded towards a new note from Marlene.

 **McLaggen's no use, he knows nothing, and he now thinks I'm interested in him. Look at what you've made happen, Evans, because you had to sit next to Potter.**

 _You're starting to sound like Mary._

Marlene didn't reply to Lily after that causing the Transfiguration lesson to drag. Lily found herself able to do her work, with the help from James, but, with her fatigue, it took extra effort. Her mind hurt. Her eyes were sore. Her body ached.

She must have zoned out for when she refocused there was no one in the classroom but herself and Potter.

"Where'd everyone go?" Lily asked him.

"The lesson ended but you hadn't finished your work."

"Hadn't finished?" She said as she looked down at a blank piece of parchment. "But we were...you was...we did the task together. Where's our work gone?"

James shrugged. "Maybe you fell—-"

"No, no, no." Evans exclaimed and stood up, ferociously. "I did not fall asleep. I remember we had done the work together...If I fell asleep why are you here?"

"To help you." He replied, softly and calmly, as he stood up and walked over to her. He placed his hands on her shoulders in a reassuring manner. "I'm always going to help you, Lily."

"I...I don't understand."

"It's alright." Potter hushed and pulled her into a hug. She quickly reiterated the embrace and felt whole as she held onto the one person in her life that had been a constant. True, Lily had hated him at one point and they had clashed heads, but James had always been there and never demoralised or belittled her. He had always seen her as his equal, and so had she. "Always trust that I have your back. Okay?"

She nodded and looked up at him. Her heart fluttered uncontrollably as his hazel eyes burrowed into hers. Lily reached upwards to push his messy hair from his face and found herself standing on her tiptoes. James smiled, his mouth inches away from hers...

"Evans." Sirius Black's voice erupted in her head. The scene began to fade. The lighting changed, the furniture moved, unidentifiable people came into focus. "For fuck sake, pass the bread."

Lily blinked twice before her vision came back to reality. She was sitting at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall for lunch. "It's right next to you." She stated as she pushed the plate towards Black, who was sitting next to Dippet, who's hair had gone back to her original blonde colour. "What...How...Where's Mary, Marlene and Em?"

Sophia pointed further down the bench. "They didn't want to sit by you."

"Great." The redhead rolled her eyes but immediately gasped. "My work. Did I finish my Transfiguration work?"

"It's alright." Potter whispered. It made her jump. He was sitting next to her and she hadn't noticed. But it was also because he had muttered the same two words again. Her mind wondered back to her daydream and all the feelings she had felt resurfaced. "You did all your work. Check your bag if you don't believe me."

Quickly she rummaged through her bag and noticed her Transfiguration work was there. Lily sighed with relief but couldn't figure out how she got down from the classroom to the Great Hall. And why she couldn't remember it.

"Why are they sitting over there?" Peter asked, confused.

"I didn't reply to Mary's note and I compared Marlene to Mary."

Sirius laughed, with Peter, while Remus tried to hide his smirk behind his sandwich. "What did you say?"

"Nothing. I didn't even think about it, I just wrote it down."

"What's Marlene got against Mary?" Sophia enquired, unclear of the problem.

"Who cares. We have more important matters to discuss like my birthday." Sirius smiled.

Lily rolled her eyes. "It isn't your birthday for another—"

"I know when it is, Evans, but seeing as you wouldn't let the party happen on my actually birthday, because it's a school night, I'm having a birthday weekend." He huffed.

"You promised no underclassman—"

"I told you I'd promise no one under the third year—-"

"I said fifth."

"We've got House Quidditch players in third year, you can't not expect the whole team to be at my party?"

"Fine." She glared. "But they can't have plus ones."

Black's Halloween Birthday party had been the talk of the month. Everyone in Gryffindor was invited from fifth year and above. Ravenclaw's and Hufflepuff's, of their year, were always invited. Every invite was allowed to bring an extra guest so nearly everyone ended up at the party. If you arrived past eleven o'clock, Sirius allowed anyone in because he was drunk enough to think that everyone was his friend.

Black glared back. "Fine but I'm expecting my present in the morning."

"Deal."

 _(Alarming)_

Abasi, Abbot, Lupin and the two Head's were all gathered in the Entrance Hall, huddled over the items Lily had given them. "These mirrors," She began, "will allow you to speak to each other. If you just say the persons name you will be able to talk to one of us here."

"What about Snape?" Omar asked.

"He already has his." Lily replied for she had given him his this morning after she had spent all night trying to make the mirrors work. "He can only communicate to me or James. He cannot hear any group decisions being made and he will have different instructions from us."

"So if I said to the mirror 'Snape' he wouldn't get through?"

Lily nodded.

"If I said Abbot and Lupin, I'd be able to talk to the two of them?"

She shook her head. "Only me and Potter can do group communications but you can talk to each other."

"Why would you want to just talk to the two of them, Abasi?" James interrogated.

"What if something happens to you two?"

Abasi had a point. If her or James had been captured, or worse, the mirror wouldn't work. "Erm." Lily hummed as she looked at Potter.

"If we have to smash our mirrors, or we've died, or something, then Remus is in charge and he'll give you orders but it won't be a group communication." He clarified.

The Ravenclaw whispered. "Why's Lupin in charge?"

"I think," Lupin said, calmly. "If the two of you are unavailable, we have to focus on our House's individually."

Patricia nodded. "And be defensive to make sure our younger housemates are safe."

Lily and James agreed. Abasi was a little reluctant but, eventually, nodded.

"Okay." Evans muttered as the tension began to lift. "Has everyone given out the coins?"

They all nodded.

"Does everyone have them with them today?"

Again, they nodded.

"And does everyone know the plan?" She asked. Gryffindor had been told earlier in the Common Room. They were to be paired up with their allocated underclassman, stand in the middle of corridors and only move if they can hear a sound. It was a basic way of figuring out how far the sound would travel but there was a lot of area to cover in a short time. A few Gryffindor's had stayed up the tower to make sure the Common Room was soundproof.

"I've told all the upperclassman and they are telling their buddies as we speak." Abbot replied. "We are all lined up ready in the lower part of the castle. I'll be in our Common Room."

"I've messaged my House on our linked token." Omar boasted, smugly. Gryffindor hadn't yet figured out what their House object, and judging from Patricia's role of the eyes, Hufflepuff hadn't sorted it out either.

"Has anyone asked about how we'll know if they've moved or not?" Evans asked, concerned.

Patricia shook her head. "No one's questioned it."

"Ravenclaw's were confused." Omar confessed. "But I said it was to make it clear to the Prefect's who heard what and then they could report back to you guys, the valuable information—"

"Good." James smiled, through gritted teeth. "Well, if everyone is ready, then lets begin." The three House leaders walked away in separate directions while Potter tapped his wand to his throat, for his voice to travel through the castle. "Listen up. You move forward if you hear an alarm sound. If Filch shows up, use the spell you've been practicing."

Evans glared. "That's not helpful for Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. They might not have got round to teaching the underclassman the Invisibility Charm."

He gave her a look as he took the wand from his neck. "Abasi bloody has, the smug prick."

"It's not a competition—"

"Of course, its a competition, Lily. Ravenclaw are winning." James huffed. He placed his hands in his hair and roughed it up. "The guy is trying to undermine me at every fucking decision."

"Everything that is happening tonight, is because you are Head Boy."

"Bullshit."

"Do you think we'd be planning for an attack if you hadn't made a stupid map in your third year?" Lily laughed. "Do you think people would get off their arse because Omar told them to? People are out tonight because they all respect you."

"Wow, Evans." James smiled. Her heart fluttered.

She quickly diverted back to the task at hand. "Is everyone ready now?"

Potter's smile didn't falter as he took the map out of his pocket. He opened the parchment out and held it for her to see too. The floating name tags were lined up throughout the castle. There wasn't an area unmanned. Lily was relieved Hufflepuff were covering the corridor that situated Slytherin House. "Are you ready?" He asked after some time.

"What do you mean?"

"This is advanced Charm work, Lily."

"I've double checked all the books." She informed. "I'm positive the alarm will work on me but I've never seen Voldemort or got a personal item of his...We can't set an alarm every night."

"Why not?"

"What if Mrs Norris, or another cat, cross the line?"

"Then we put the alarm system further away from the Entrance Hall. We'll set the line around the castle, in the Forbidden Forest instead."

"What about—"

"Lily," He laughed and put his hands on her shoulders. "We'll sort it out. We just need to check the Common Rooms are soundproof and we can alarm the school. Everything else can be discussed later on."

There was a shout that echoed through the castle. Sirius Black's voice. "For fuck sake, Prongs! Get on with it."

James rolled his eyes but didn't respond to his best friend. He looked at Lily and said. "Do we start with to see if we can use the Caterwauling Charm first?"

She nodded. "You make sure you check your map because it's going to be loud from here."

Potter agreed and stood behind her. She performed the incantation for the Charm easily - she been memorising it for the last two nights. Lily drew an invisible line, with her wand, in front of herself as she finished the spell.

"Ready?" Lily asked before stepping over the line.

"Ready."

Carefully, as if there was barbed wire, she outstretched her left leg over the line and placed it gently onto the ground. The air was pierced with a hallowing scream. It shot through her like a bullet. Every nerve in her body felt torn. Her ears felt like they were bleeding. She didn't know how long she could withstand the noise.

James' hand yanked her away. "Merlin's sake, Evans. You trying to make us all deaf."

Lily breathed heavy. It felt alien to not have the scream in her ears. "Did everyone hear it?"

"People in Cornwall could of fucking heard it."

"Be serious, Potter."

"Nearly everyone moved." He answered, honestly. "No one in the Common Rooms moved, which could be a good sign they are soundproof, nor did anyone in the highest points of the castle."

"Do we try the Intruder Charm then? It will give us a smaller range which would be better."

Potter nodded. Lily performed the incantation for the Intruder Charm. It was slightly different and didn't take as long as the Caterwauling one. While she was drawing the line once more, James tapped his wand to his throat once more. "Everyone. Move back to the middle of the corridors you are in and stand still. We are trying something else so only move if you hear anything."

"Ready." She asked, again.

"Hang on." He muttered as he glanced at the map, confused.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." James snickered. "Nothing. Sorry."

Lily sighed, loudly. There was no hesitation this time with placing her foot over the line. High pitches beeps exploded into the air. It wasn't as painful as the other charm but it was loud enough to wake someone up.

"Was that better?" She asked as she turned around and stepped away from the line.

"Yes." Potter nodded with a reassuring smile. "It got as far as the Hufflepuff Common Room and up to the third floor."

"Okay. So how do we get four alarms into four Common Rooms?"

"Maybe you have to do four Intruder Charms?"

"Could we not shove the spell into some speakers and place them in the Common Rooms?" She argued, flippantly, but it looked like James was taking it truthfully. "I'm joking, Potter. We can't ask them to place an alarm every night. What if one time you forget and that's the time it counted?... How can we trust Slytherin to do it?"

"We're stuck then."

"We can't be. We can't have gotten this far for there not to be a solution."

"Try your theory."

"It was a joke."

"I know, you said. But what if you can put the spell into an object?" James shrugged. He took his wand out of his pocket and a pen. He waved the wand over the pen until it became a small, ornate box. "Here. Use this."

Lily looked at it, unsure, as she took the box from him. She conjured the Intruder Charm once more but kept her wand hovered over the small object. It felt stupid and ridiculous. "We need to get this up to the Gryffindor Common Room."

"No problem. I've already called him."

 _(Myrtle)_

"You rang." Lupin smiled as he trotted down the steps towards them.

"Can you place this in the Common Room, please?" Lily asked, a little too sweetly for James' liking.

"Wormtail was nearer to you than I was."

"I saw." James replied.

"Yet you chose me."

"Uh-hu."

"Did it have anything to do with the fact I had to walk past Abasi to get here?"

Potter looked away, indifferently. "Omar needs to learn—-"

"What did I tell you like a half hour ago?" Lily snapped.

"That I'm so wonderful."

Lily rolled her eyes while Remus laughed and took the box. "Where do you want it to be placed?"

"Leave it in the middle of the Common Room and make sure there is a person in each dormitory. We need to see if the noise travels all the way to the top of the tower."

"I'll see if I can get some people on my way up." Mooney said before walking away, whistling.

"Do you think we should test out the coins while we wait?" Evans suggested after some time of silence.

"We can do." James replied and took the coins out of his pocket. "What would we write though?"

"Something that would be obvious on the map."

"What? Like hide?"

"Yeah." Lily smiled. "They are all in corridors with classrooms or empty cupboards or bathrooms. They're's got to be a time when we'd have to write 'Hide' on the coins."

"You change the coin and I'll watch the map, again."

Evans produced her coin out of her pocket and hovered her wand over the two of them. The letters on the coin began to shift from Galleon to Hide. Lily made a sharp intake of breath as the word completely formed. "That get's bloody hot." She complained. "Everyone's surely bound to notice that."

James concentrated on the map. There were tiny movements as people started to wonder what was happening. You could hear the whispering. Yet as soon as people began to realise what it meant, and had read the new engraving on the coins, everyone scarpered into empty classrooms. All except for a corridor on the first floor, just above from the Great Hall.

His perplexed look made Lily ask. "What's wrong?"

He showed her the map. "These haven't moved."

"Do you think Abbot forgot to hand some out?" Lily enquired for they were all Hufflepuffs.

"Patty isn't the forgetful type."

"Would you say Mina is?"

Phora's name floated by two footprints, stationary. James had noticed her there first. "She's away with the fairies half the time but I don't think she'd be that stupid."

"Do you want me to go and check it out?"

"No, I'll go." He said giving Lily to map. "Hide this in your robe."

"Why? You've had it out."

"It's too good to be true that Filch hasn't shown up yet. He's in the Headmaster's office with the other teacher's. We've only got so long before they put an end to this."

"Take this back." Lily muttered, nervously, as she handed him back his coin. "Be quick."

James grinned before running up the stairs.

He got to the corridor in no time to see the six Hufflepuffs all standing in the middle of the corridor, chatting amongst themselves. "What are you doing?" James whispered as he walked towards Mina.

"Following your orders, sir." She teased. Her hair was now shocking white.

"No you're not. I wrote something on the coin."

"The coin?" Phora muttered and began to furiously search her pockets. "I had it...Zeller, have you got your coin?"

The fifth year next to her checked his pockets. "No."

The rest of the Hufflepuffs couldn't find their's either.

"How can you all forget—-" James began.

But Mina cut him off. "We didn't forget. Patricia made sure we showed her before we walked out of our Common Room."

"How did they just disappear?"

She shrugged. "Do you still have yours?"

James tried his best not to roll his eyes as he rummaged in his back pocket, where he had a minute ago put the coin. However, it wasn't there. "I don't understand." He whispered. "I had it."

Phora's strange eyes lit up and bent down to look behind, and under, all the benches that lined the walls. "Come out, Swiper."

"Swiper?"

"That bloody Niffler I lost." She explained. "He's stolen the coins. He's here somewhere."

"Accio coin." James said as he though hard about how to coin differed from a normal Galleon.

There was a crash at the end of the corridor. Followed by another. Suddenly, a furry ball flew at James. He caught it without a flinch and saw the niffler balled up, holding onto a coin as if his life depended upon it. Potter had seen one before, when he did his Care Of Magical Creature's O.W.L, but never one that looked so disheveled and mange.

"I saved him." Mina explained, as she stroked the creature. It wriggled around in James' hands. "He was being bullied by the other ones but Kettleburn didn't see it."

It jumped out of his hands and scurried away. James instinctively ran after it while he casting the Freezing Charm to stop it in it's tracks.

"James, you're scaring it." Phora shouted from behind him.

The Niffler turned around sharply and dove in between his outstretched legs. Potter skidded to a halt before racing after it again but it disappeared. "Where did it go?" He asked the Hufflepuffs.

"The lav." A third year pointed.

Potter didn't hesitate. He ran at the door and barged into the desolate restroom but the Niffler had already found it's hiding place. James didn't take in all his surroundings but he found it odd to have sinks in a column formation and — because he was observant of such things — for one sink to be different to the others. Yet there wasn't time to pursue his curiosity. He had to find the damn Niffler.

"Psst." Mina muttered as she carefully entered the bathroom. She tiptoed over to him and crouched down next to him, to look under the toilet doors. "We should just leave Swiper here..."

"He's got the coins, Phora." James interrupted.

"Make new ones."

"What if Slytherin find them?" He theorised.

"Don't hurt Swiper."

"He can stay in the castle for all I care but you need to look after him. Tame him a little."

She spoke quieter, even though she was the only one out of the two to be speaking in hushed tones. "He's not a pet. He's a wild creature."

"Why are you whispering?"

But she didn't need to explain. A wailing sound erupted from behind them. "A boy!" James stood up slowly and turned himself around expecting a tattling first year but it was a ghost. She was younger than him, and smaller, with jet black hair, held in plaits, along with circular glasses, on the end of her nose. "Boys aren't allowed in a girl's bathroom."

"We've come to—-"

The ghost shrieked and floated, angrily, towards James. She stopped a few inches away from his face. "You've come to look at me, haven't you? What are they calling me nowadays? Fat Myrtle? Ugly Myrtle? Miserable, moaning, moping Myrtle?"

"Just Moaning Myrtle." Mina replied, casually, as she continued to look for the animal.

Myrtle began to sob in fitful breathes and drifted away through one of the closed bathroom doors. "You wait and see what people call you when you're dead."

"Erm." James hummed as he stood there unsure of what to do. "Myrtle, have you seen a Niffler?"

The sobs stopped and her head appeared. "You haven't come for me?"

He shook his head but thought carefully of his words. "As much of a pleasure it is to acquaint you...er...we've lost an animal and it came into here."

"That bloody things been in here for weeks. No one comes in here anymore because he's stealing from their bags. I bet they are blaming me for it now!" The ghost cried and pointed at the corner cubicle. Phora crawled over there while James stood back, in case the creature ran for it. Myrtle swooped over towards him and flirtatiously whispered. "We could be more than just acquaintances."

James smiled but didn't say anything towards the ghost. "Can you see him?" He asked his prefect partner, who was cautiously dragging herself under the door.

"What's your name?" Myrtle asked.

"Trevor Davis." He replied. It was his go-to-name if he was in trouble with people who didn't know who he was. (It was a name of a muggle who lived in the village his family stayed in during the summer.)

Miraphora laughed, from within the cubicle. "Trevor Davis...stupid..." There was a scurry of sounds. A crash. A squeak. An "A-ha, gotcha." The Hufflepuff pushed the door open and looked down at the creature, wriggling in her grasp. "I'm so sorry, little one, but we need those coins."

She shook him, upside down, and a gargantuan mountain of shiny objects fell out of it's little pouch. James accioed all the coins from the pile. Once finished, Phora placed him back down on his metallic mound, stroked the animal - who looked up at her with affection - and sniffed. "Be good, Swiper."

This gave him an idea. One that would need planning, deception, camouflage and time.

"You're leaving it here." Myrtle shrieked.

"This is the home it's chosen." Mina exclaimed, her blue and hazel eyes were wild with justice. "And if it's kept in here, at least someone is coming into this bathroom..."

There was a loud sound from outside the bathroom. A raised voices. Stomps of footfalls. A smack of the door hitting a wall.

"Prongs." Sirius shouted in heavy breathes. "We've got an issue."

"Another boy?!" The ghost screamed before flying into the air and plummeting into a toilet.

"Did she just—"

"What's the matter?" James asked as he walked over to his best friend.

"You just need to come with me. You too, Phora." He replied, cryptically. "You need to tell everyone to come down to the Entrance Hall."

Potter did as his friend had suggested without a seconds hesitation or a thought of why it was necessary. "Aren't you meant to be hiding as well?"

"You were taking forever to give us anything to do so I left to see what was going on."

"And?"

"Filch is—-" Sirius began but James ran off. He knew what was happening. Filch had left the Headteacher's office, possibly with the rest of the staff, to reprimand anyone who was behind the disturbance tonight. Sirius soon caught up. "Hey, wait up. They hadn't got to Lily. She saw them on the map and told me to get you."

 _I should of left her with the cloak, as well_. He thought as he rounded the corner to the Entrance Hall steps, along with everyone else who had received the message, and could hear the raised voice of Filch.

"Dumbledore." The caretaker of the school said. James had made his way to the front of the crowd and was relieved that it was just Filch and Dumbledore. He walked over to Lily, who was sheepishly looking guilty. "This girl has violated a rule and should have a detention."

"And what rule is that?" The Headmaster asked.

"Loud noises passed eight o'clock." Filch replied, assured of himself.

"I'm not too familiar with that one."

"And him." Argus pointed to Potter. "He has everything to do with this. I should of known you'd be involved."

"Yes, it was my idea as Head Boy—-"

"James, no." Lily interjected. "It was my idea too."

"And mine." Patricia Abbot shouted from the top of the stairs, with her hand waving in the air.

"And mine." Someone at the back proclaimed.

"Me too." A confident second year laughed.

"Same." His friend tittered.

There wasn't a single person who hadn't confessed it to be their idea. James tried to hide his smile but it was hard not to at the comradery of his fellow schoolmates.

"I'm afraid, Argus." Dumbledore said, empathically, after everyone had made their case. "We will never know who was behind this noise complaint."

"But it's these two." Filch pointed, once more, at the Head Boy and Girl. "I know it's these two."

"We cannot prove it." The Headmaster stated and placed his hand on the caretaker's shoulder. "Come on, we can go back to my office and have some cake." Dumbledore looked at James as he walked passed. "I'm sure we won't hear anything else tonight."

Potter nodded.

"Back to your dorms, everyone." Dumbledore smiled and waved back as he turned to go up the stairs. "Have sweet dreams."

No one moved or spoke until they were sure the coast was clear. Lily stood up from her seat and smiled. "Thank you all for doing this tonight. We learnt a lot. But it is best if we don't do anymore tonight."

Everyone agreed and said their farewells to their friends. However no one from Gryffindor moved. The two Heads were confused and looked at Remus, who was smiling. "We still have an alarm to test."

( _Not Sleeping)_

The clock struck two.

Lily had been sitting in the Common Room, on her own, for a few hours now. She had done the dance of saying goodnight and walking up the stairs to her room, but who was she kidding, everyone knew she'd come back down. She couldn't figure out if her worry, tonight, was the usual - are her parents alive? - or from the disaster of an evening they'd.

Gryffindor had tried the alarm they'd placed but it hadn't worked. The reason being The Fat Lady. She screamed the same volume as the alarm inside the tower. Lily wasn't sure how to fix that issue. Merlin, she wasn't sure on how to fix any of the tiny, yet massive, problems that had arose.

 _I need to write them all down_ , she thought to herself as the radio began to play music. Evans reached over to the other side of the sofa to get a piece of paper and a quill.

She stayed curled up in her position until she heard footsteps padding down the stairs. She looked over her shoulder and rolled her eyes. "Go back to bed, Potter. And you know, you don't have to wear Gryffindor PJs."

"They bring out my eyes" He grinned as he jumped and landed on the other side of the sofa. "I was awake anyway. I forgot how loud Sirius talks in his sleep were."

"Black sleep talks?" Lily tittered. "You regretting giving your Head Boy room to Kingsley?"

"Nah, the guy deserves to have a room by himself after putting up with us four for the past six years." James stated. "And, besides, I thought you could do with the company."

"I see you every second of the bloody day, Potter—-"

"Lucky you."

She scoffed and continued to write her list. "You don't _need_ to be here."

"I know but I _want_ to be here."

Her eyes wondered up from her paper to see him looking wistfully at the fireplace. Perhaps she was asleep and dreaming of this encounter. The ones she had had earlier in the day had all been pleasant and he'd always said the right words. "Tell me something I don't know." She asked, quietly, as she tried to determine if she was awake or not.

"Why?"

Lily shrugged with a smirk. "It might be boring enough to make me drift off."

"Okay." James laughed and pulled an expression as he tried to remember anything. The silence filled the air as the time passed. The low drone of the radio continued to hum but there was no news so far. "I don't think there is anything."

"Liar."

"Hey. I'm an open book, Evans."

"I know all the superficial parts about who James Potter is but I don't know who you really are."

"Superficial? I feel like I should be offended...Are you trying to insult me so that we argue and I leave you alone?"

"Of course not."

"What do you want me to say then, Lily? That I've endured some type of hardship? Because I haven't." He sighed. "My parents had tried for a child for so long so when I came along it was like a miracle - their words, not mind - and I was born a Potter. Rich. Pureblooded. Privileged. I didn't realise there could be unhappiness in family until I came here. And I fucking wish I could of traded place with some people so, for once, they could understand what it means to have a home."

"James, I—-"

"Nothing has ever happened to me for _me_ to hide anything. Okay?"

She nodded, unsure on what to say or do.

"So, you tell _me_ , why you are down here?" James said, still a little pissed off.

"You know why."

"I thought I did but—"

"Whatever Dumbledore's order have done is great, my parents are safe in our home, but they are attacking anyone in public places. Voldemort knows about the protection spells."

"You don't know that."

"Explain it then. And don't tell me I'm paranoid."

James couldn't. "So listening to the radio does what?"

"It helps."

"Helps with what?" He questioned. "Doesn't it make you worry more?"

"Whatever I do, or don't do, makes me worry."

"But what is not sleeping helping you achieve?"

"Achieve? I'm staying awake to listen out for news reports—"

"Why?"

"Because I'm waiting to hear their names, James." She snapped. "So all the guilt—-"

"Guilt? What do you have to be guilty about?"

"Everything." Lily whispered and looked away from him, towards the fireplace. "If I didn't come to this school, if I didn't have these magical abilities, I could have kept my family safe by just being a muggle...Mary was right. It would be easier not being a witch."

"You're the best witch there is, Evans." James stated, softly. Her heart ached at the sound of his voice as she could feel how he felt. "You can't just graduate from here and leave everything behind."

"I can do what the fuck I want to do, Potter. I can take my family far away. To America, maybe...Anywhere where Voldemort can't get them."

"We can't win this war if you aren't a part of it."

"I'm sure—-"

"I'm not trying to flatter you, Evans. I'm being honest. And I know you. You won't turn your back on the muggleborns, their families and the millions of muggles in this country."

"You're right." She sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Being tired isn't helping me see things clearly...Ha. I feel like if I fall asleep I won't wake up for a week."

"You'd miss Padfoot's party."

"Sirius would kill me if I didn't show up. Or didn't give him his present."

"What you got him?"

"It's a surprise."

"I won't say anything."

"You guys can't keep secrets amongst yourselves. You've all agreed to that." Lily laughed. "What are you dressing up as?"

"That's a surprise."

"What? The four of you are going to dress up as McGonagall again?"

"That happened one time."

"And everyone still remembers it." She snickered. "Do you guys have a briefing, at the start of the year, as to what each of you are dressing up as?"

"No." James lied. "Hey! Double standard. Doesn't Mary tell you guys what to wear?"

"She doesn't tell us what to wear, just not to match or clash with anything she is. McDonald's got to look the best out of the four of us."

"The best of what?"

"I dunno...the prettiest, probably." Lily shrugged. "It's only to get the attention of Black, or Boot, or any guy, but that might have changed now. Who knows what goes through that girl's brain."

"I don't think she'll be getting Boots attention." James smirked.

"What do you mean?"

He stopped smiling and looked at her funny. "Don't you know? He's got a girlfriend. Or he's, at least, seeing someone."

"Why would I know that? I don't talk to him."

"I..." James began. She could tell he was rethinking what he was going to say because he always looked up to the left. "I thought it was common knowledge."

Lily couldn't be bothered to pursue who it would be - knowing Boot's type it would be some prissy blonde, who'd fawn over him and his Quidditch skills. "I'm sure I'll find out soon enough. We've got Sirius' party and the Slug Club this weekend, and I know he's invited to both."

"When's Slughorn's thingy?"

"Sunday evening. I've been telling you about it all week."

"Ugh, do I have to go?" James whined.

"Yes. You've been invited."

"I've heard they're boring,"

"They can be a bit...tedious." Lily admitted. "We should...er...go together then."

"What?"

"Er..." The Head Girl grimaced. She had no idea why she'd said that. It just felt right. "Well, you've never been to one before and there are rules to follow...and, er, I can—-"

"It sounds like a great idea." Potter smiled like the bloody Cheshire Cat, to her annoyance. "That's date number two sorted. Where'd you want to go on our third?"

"Hold on, hold on. I didn't say it was a date."

"Gotcha." He winked. Lily looked away and glared at the window, behind his head. "Care for a drink?"

She looked down and saw two cups of water on the table. "Where'd they come from?"

"I transfigured a few objects and used _Aguamenti_. It's not as good as water from a tap but it's something."

"Why?"

"You don't stop talking, Evans, and I needed a drink." James shrugged as he reached for the two glasses. He outstretched the one for her but she didn't take it. "It's just water."

Lily, hesitantly, took it. She watched him sip it first and then drank. He wasn't right, it wasn't as good as water. "Thanks."

"Why didn't you take it straight away?"

"Sev saw you—-"

"Snape needs to learn to mind his own business." James' eyes narrowed. "I took three but they are all up in my room. I'd never use them on you."

"Why'd you take three then?"

"For backup. Remus doesn't sleep when it gets to exams, I don't sleep very well before a match and Peter wanted one for his pregnant Kneazle, even though I don't think he's allowed to use it on one."

"Yeah, I don't think so either."

She finished her drink as the clock struck three and placed it back down on the coffee table. The two of them stay silent for a long time. Lily was too busy listening in on the radio. The news was back on. She yawned.

James reached over to touch her arm. She watched curiously. He hooked his fingers around her elbow and pulled her towards him.

"What are you doing, Potter?" She asked as she tried to pull back but didn't succeed because the monster inside of her wanted him to be near.

"Trust me." He muttered as he outstretched his legs, to be either side of her. She scooted herself along the sofa, weary of the fact she had short pyjamas on, and rested her head on his chest. James pulled the blanket over them and wrapped her up in a warming embrace. Lily wasn't overly relaxed. She feared he would be able to hear how fast her heart was beating. Breathing in and out was beginning to hurt. "Go to sleep. I promise I will stay awake and listen."

She felt his head rest upon hers.

She felt him relax and alter his position for them both to be more comfortable.

She felt tired.

She was tired.

She was asleep within seconds.


	12. Halloween

**AN: Thanks for reading and all your beautiful comments :) Sophiecassiethalia can we be besties? :P Dingyi and hurricanehairandemeraldeyes bless ya!**

 **Guys, I am not** **kidding you but this toooooook forever. I've had this planned out since I first began this story but there are a lot of emotional changes in this that got difficult and then I needed characters in certain places that mixed things up so I had to write parts all over again. I was also unsure of how much interaction I wanted between James and Lily. I just hope you like it and forgive the long awaited upload.**

 **I got tumblr, peps. Hopefully you can fine me, if you can't can you tell me so I can make it more public. Username: madicon**

 **PS. I hope you like James and Lily's unknown couple costume. ie. the movie it is from wasn't made in the 70s but I couldn't resist.**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling is the boss and we are her subsidiaries.**

Chapter 12 - 'It doesn't mean anything, It's make believe' - The Maine

( _Wakey, Wakey_ )

James did as he promised. He stayed awake to listen the radio but after the show finished, he too fell asleep on the sofa. He'd admit, when he woke up, that he accidentally slept but everyone knew that he'd grasped the chance he'd been given.

"Psst," He could hear through his dream filled sleep. "Psst, Prongs. Mate!"

"Not now, Padfoot." James mutters as he begins to wake up. He rubs his left hand over his face and readjusts his glasses to see Sirius with a huge grin on his face. The air around Padfoot fizzed as his eyes tried to focus.

"Why not?" Black replied with a wink.

"She's asleep." He yawned. During the night, the two of them had managed to lie down on the sofa. James had his back to the couch with his right arm tucked under her head and the left one resting, gently, over her side. Lily had her right arm and legs over him as she had squirmed to get nearer him during the night. "What time is it?"

"Who cares what time it is!"

"Shhh. Just answer the bloody question?"

"Why does it matter what time it is?"

"You know she wouldn't want Mary to see her with me."

"I don't blame her. You are so embarrassing." Padfoot snickered. "Look at you. Wipe your mouth, you moron. You wouldn't want our sleeping beauty here to see you with dribble on your face."

James did what his best friend advised. "Are Mooney and Wormtail with you?"

"If you could move, you'd see us." Peter snickered and came into vision. James could only see Remus' hand wave from the armchair. "Comfy?"

"I'd say he looks very comfy." Sirius winked.

"Fuck off." James glared. Lily stirred. No one spoke. She mutters something under her breath before snuggling in closer to James. He looks down and uses his left hand to brush the flyaway hairs off of her face, which caused him to smile from ear to ear.

Black snickered. "Well, don't you look pleased."

"Now, now, Pads." Remus muttered. "He's been dreaming of this moment..."

"I can hear you idiots." Lily grumbled, stopping everyone from talking or moving or, in James' case, breathing. She sat up and turned to face the other Marauders, with the blanket wrapped around her. There was a yawn as she asked. "What time is it?"

"What is up with you two and time?" Sirius huffed. "It's my birthday, _Love_."

"Happy Birthday." She said, unenthusiastically, as she rubbed her eyes and stood up.

"Where are you going?"

"To get your bloody present." Lily snapped. James sat up. The four guys watched her walk up the tower until she was out of sight. He felt like he could breath again.

"Way to go, mate." Padfoot smiled and sat down next to his best friend. "At least she didn't scream as she woke up."

"Scream?"

"Yeah, like, _'Oh Merlin, what have I done? Sleeping with...you!_ " He mimicked.

"I bet she's freaking out in her room." Peter laughed.

"So, come on, tell us what happened?"

James sat forward and rubbed his eyes in frustration at the rude awakening. "Nothing happened."

"Boo."

"Padfoot—"

"I know the both of you, Potter, and as much as it hurts me to say this," He sniffed for emphasis, "you won't tell us anything because she'd make you promise to keep everything secret."

"You think I'd betray _our_ friendship for a girl?"

"But she's not just ' _a girl_ ' to you, Prongs."

"What? Do you want me to drop to my knees and confess my undying love to you?"

"That would be great, thanks."

James glanced at the other two.

Mooney shook his head. "Ignore him."

"You'll be sorry when they get together and all they ever do is spend time together." Black pouted. He looked at James, intently. "You've got to play your cards right here, Prongs."

"Now, you're giving me advise after you've just been in a mood about it?" James said.

"It's taken you seven years to get this far, I'm not gonna let you fuck it up now."

"Gee, thanks."

"Don't roll your eyes at me." Sirius glared. "We all saw that smile of yours. We know, you know, you are getting closer with her but you can't go all wands a blazing just yet."

"I don't know, Pads." Remus interjected. "She was awake. Maybe she was awake when Prongs told you to 'fuck off'?"

"What does that prove?"

"She made the conscious decision to try and get closer to him. Merlin, she'd have felt him touch her face. If she wasn't ready, she'd have woken up immediately and pushed him away." Mooney stated.

Black laughed. "I can't believe you, of all people, think it's a good idea for _him_ to make a move on Evans."

"What if, when she comes back down, she sits next to _him_?"

"Why do you keep referring me to ' _him_ '?" James said, annoyed. "I'm right here."

"Shush, now, Mom and Dad are talking." Sirius muttered but didn't move his eyes away from Lupin. "So you're saying if Lily comes down and sits next to... _Prongs_ then that means she wants to be in a relationship with him?"

"If myself, Peter and you stand up then she has any possible seat to sit in—"

"There's a lot of 'ifs' to your plan, Mooney."

"It makes sense. Old Lily would have sat in the seat furthest away from Prongs." Peter hummed. "Padfoot, lets try Remus' idea."

"Don't I get a say in all of this?" Potter asked. The more they talked about Lily, the more his heart exploded. He wasn't sure what emotion it was but it filled him with anxiety and gave him sweaty palms.

"No." The three Marauders replied together.

"I thought you'd be jumping at the chance to—" Pettigrew began.

But a shout from Lily interrupted. "Oi, Black." They heard her yell. It sounded like it came from the top of the stairs. The three Marauders stood up and rearranged themselves to look casual - Remus was poking the fire, Peter was looking at the radio as if he'd never seen one before and Sirius slouched on the sofa arm. James shook his head in his hands. "It's not wrapped so close your eyes."

Padfoot closed his eyes gleefully.

James watched Lily as she walked into the Common Room. She was holding something behind her back with the same expression Sirius had. He hadn't seen her this happy for some time and he couldn't help but smile as well.

Evans stopped in front of Black and placed his present on his lap. James couldn't tell what it was. "You can open your eyes now."

Sirius opened them and looked at it shocked. "No way!"

"Yes way." Lily giggled with excitement as he jumped off of the sofa and held up the present. It was a smokey, dark grey leather jacket - ones only muggles wore. Potter couldn't believe she'd bought Padfoot such a gift.

"Try it on then." Peter said as he, too, was mesmerised by the garment.

Black smiled. He carefully put his arms into each hole and hoisted the jacket up in a very showy manner, typical of Sirius. "How'd you know?" He asked as he zipped up the off centred zip.

"You've got a motorbike and you've always talked about getting one." The redhead grinned and walked over to him. James was hoping it was just to admire her handy work instead of finding his friend more attractive. "I've altered it with magic so that it will always fit you. So if you have a hoody on underneath it isn't too tight but still makes you look good. Oh, and I've used to Extension Charm on the pockets so you can carry as much as you want, _and_ it's got a protective spell on there. I don't know if it will work against all spells—"

She was cut off by Sirius giving her a hug. He whispered something to her which made her laugh. James looked away for the little green monster had taken over his body and he had never been good at hiding his jealousy.

"Mates, what do you think?" The smug birthday boy enquired as he moved to stand in front of the fireplace and next to Remus.

"You could fit a person in these pockets." Remus laughed as he stuck his hand into one of the pockets and his whole arm was engulfed.

"It's gonna make your Halloween costume awesome." Peter stated. "You could be like a zombie biker."

"Please don't get makeup on it." Lily pleaded as she walked over to sit on a seat.

"It's not called makeup, _Love_. It's face paint."

"Whatever. Just don't ruin it because you aren't getting another one." She shrugged and sat down. The three Marauders, that were standing up, all looked at each other with knowing expressions which Lily noticed. "Is there something wrong?"

"Nope." Remus smirked. "I was just right about something."

She had sat down next to James.

( _Getting ready in girls dorm)_

"Move!"

"You've already done your makeup."

"I've got to do my hair."

"You look fine."

"Fine might be alright for you, MacDonald, but I've got to look the best."

"I bet you've missed this." Marlene muttered sarcastically while the two girls squabbled, neither one of them looking at the mirror anymore. McKinnon and Evans were sitting on Marlene's bed, playing a game of cards, with Emmeline, who was lying down next to them, read a textbook for the hundredth time.

"What? Cress and Mary arguing?" Lily smiled. "Definitely not. But I do miss this room."

"Urgh, Merlin, I forgot you're the nostalgic type."

"If she really missed this room, she'd be here more often." Emmy glanced over her book. "Have you been in here since term started?"

"No, I've been—" Lily started but couldn't finish her train of thought. She hadn't stepped foot into the dorm room. She hadn't even thought about going in. Did she really miss it or was she just being polite by saying she did?

"Bloody hell, Vance. Did you have to say it that way?" The Quidditch player laughed. "We haven't spent anytime in here and you're always out—"

"Always out? What's that supposed to mean?" Emmeline asked, slightly offended.

"You know because you are always at the library." Lily jumped in with a smile.

Vance arched her eyebrows before going back to reading her book.

"This is the only mirror that has good lighting." Mary squealed. "I need it for my makeup."

"What about my hair? I've got to make sure it isn't dull." Cressida replied as she looked at herself in the mirror deciding on what hairstyle to go for. "Use the bathroom."

"The humidity would mess up my hair. You know how it gets!"

"I thought you were going as a sheep."

"I..Uh...My hair doesn't look like a sheeps."

"Naturally it does."

"Do you think we should break it up?" Lily asked. "It's getting personal."

"Oi." Marlene snapped. The two girls stopped. McKinnon waved her wand at her own mirror and made it float across the room to hang on the other side of the window.

"But, Mar, you don't have a mirror now." Mary said as if her friend had lost something important yet she didn't hesitate in using it.

"Does it look like I'm getting ready?"

"The party is in _six_ hours."

"Yeah, I know when it is, you idiot. But six hours to get ready is ridiculous. Hell, Lily's got to paint herself blue and she's not stressing about it...What're you gonna do about eating?" The Quidditch player asked, concerned. Lily would of mentioned that she wasn't painting her whole body blue but, everyone knew, never interrupt an argument with Marlene because she'd always figure someone was hiding something. "I know for a fact you aren't gonna go down to the Great Hall all dressed up."

"Sirius has food at his party."

"Shitty little nibbles aren't food and you know it."

Mary pursed her lips as she looked in her mirror.

"What are you trying to prove by not eating, Mary? That you're the prettiest?"

No comment was given. Everyone in the room had their eyes on the small blonde wondering if she'd crack under the pressure. Lily didn't like the way Fleming was looking so smug.

"Who the fuck are you trying to beat? Cress? Grey? Wal—" Marlene continued to question and then sighed when she'd worked it out. "Why are you doing this to yourself, Mary? He has a girlfriend."

"Who? Who has a girlfriend?" Harriet asked.

"Our darling Sirius Black, of course." Cressida smiled at herself in the mirror but Lily could see her eyes were fixed on Mary, who was being very quiet and still.

"Oh. I thought you were on about Boot."

"Boot has a girlfriend too?!" Mary gasped. "Since when?"

Lily felt uncomfortable as her friend turned around and looked at everyone in the room.

"Who knew?"

Cressida and Harriet raised their hands defiantly while Lily lifted hers sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Mary. I only found out last night."

"Why didn't _you_ tell me?" The blonde asked poignantly at Evans.

"I didn't think it was a big deal. I thought you were over him...and Black."

"I am...I was...It's that stupid jacket. Where did it even come from?"

Lily hoped her guilt wasn't showing on her face.

"Who cares? All I know is he looks even more incredible and Sophia better watch herself." Cressida snickered. When no one joined in on her laughter, she turned around to see people judging her. "Hey. Me and MacDonald are not gonna be the only ones that are gonna try to win his attention tonight."

Marlene's eyes narrowed. "Dippet will always win because she doesn't need to raise her game, unlike your petty ass."

"You got a little crush on her, McKinnon?"

"Jealous I've never had one on you?"

For a split second Cressida's eyes showed her contempt before she blinked and smiled, falsely. "All men are the same. We'll see how long him and Dippet last after tonight."

(Getting ready in Lily's Room)

"Who the fuck does Fleming think she is?" Marlene complained as she walked into Lily's room with all the girls costumes folded over her arm. The three girls had dragged Mary out of the girls dorm and helped her think of something else other than Black. They even got her to eat something.

"You've already said that." Emmeline laughed as she took her clothes from the angry Gryffindor.

"I know. She's just wound me up."

"We can see." Lily smirked, while she dabbed a sponge into some light blue face paint.

"And she has the nerve of starting to whisper when I walk in." McKinnon huffed as she lay on Lily's bed with a thump. "It's like 'Come on, mate, I've just heard what you were talking about through the door—"

Mary interrupted from the window. "What was she saying?"

"I dunno. Something about having gone for a run this morning."

Evans stopped doing her makeup and looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were clouded with worry.

"Why be all secretive about that?" Mary questioned. "The two of them have always gone for a run."

"It must have been before curfew. I think Harriet's worried someone saw them."

"Or they saw something?"

 _Shit_. Lily thought. She'd forgotten that the two best friends tended to go on early morning runs but with the curfew Dumbledore had set in place, Lily had assumed they'd stopped.

"Like those two clueless twits saw anything." Marlene scoffed. "Green just doesn't want to get a detention. Big deal."

"Maybe they saw who Boot's dating." MacDonald sighed and used her wand to hold her hair in place while she placed bobby pins in. "Do you know who it is, Lily?"

Lily gulped. "No. Potter only told me he was seeing someone and was surprised I didn't know. He thought everyone knew."

"And you didn't find out who it was?!"

"How does Potter know?" Emmy asked, putting on her black and white striped top.

"Who cares?" Mary pffted and walked over to Lily with a pout. "How could you not find out who it was? James would have told you."

She replied, honestly "I _genuinely_ don't give a rats ass who he's dating. And neither should you."

"I know," MacDonald answered with a sulk and stomped back over to her mirror like a disappointed toddler. "It just sucks. Why doesn't he like me?!"

"You know he's got a type."

"They've all got a type." Marlene said, sullenly.

"And I fit that type. Blonde, small...that's basically it." Mary stomped her foot. "Whats the difference between me and...and...er..."

"You've dated all his friends."

"That was so I could get closer to him."

"Urgh." Marlene said, sat up and looked directly at her friend. "Mary, wake the hell up. Why are you so hung up on this guy when he's shown no interest in you? He's probably gone back to some bimbo he's already shacked up with because he got fed up of jerking himself off."

Lily tried to contain her laughter as she tried not to poke herself in the eye with mascara.

"Do you think so, Mar?"

"Why else keep it a secret?"

Mary gasped and sat down next to the Beater. "Who do you think it is?"

"My money is on Chambers."

"Lucinda? Why?"

"They are both cu—"

"Whoa, whoa." Evans interrupted with the protests from the other two girls. "I don't mind swearing, McKinnon, but not that word."

"But—"

"You can't say it, even if it's true." The redhead smiled to herself at the mirror as she carefully draw stitch lines onto her face. "Maybe it's someone you wouldn't expect it to be."

Marlene scoffed.

"Why else keep it a secret? She's got to be different to his usual type."

"It could be a guy."

Mary's face lit up with delight. "That would explain why he's not interested in me. He's _gay_."

The evening continued with Marlene and Mary theorising who at Hogwarts was gay. The other two joined in occasionally but they both seemed to have something on their minds. Lily was worrying over Cress telling everyone about her sleeping arrangements last night. She had no idea what was troubling Vance and she could only tell because Emmy always started to bite her nails when stressed.

 _Bong_! The grandfather clock down in the Common Room echoed into her room. It was nine in the evening. "Shit!" Mary murmured, buckling up her silver, glitzy heels. "We're going to be late."

"Calm down," Lily said with a smile, while straightening her hair. "No one arrives on time."

MacDonald didn't listen. "Merlin sake, Marlene's not even ready."

"It's gonna take me like five minutes." The girl in question responded with a yawn.

"I don't even know what you are going as...It better not be what I am."

"Oh yes, I'm going to be prancing around like you, Mary. Do I look like I could pull off being a fairy?"

"True." MacDonald agreed, with a judgemental glare, as she bewitched her pink, glittery wings to flutter behind her. "You're not doing a group costume without me, are you?"

"How does a pirate and...and...whatever Evans is dressed as, match?"

"They both have stripes."

"What _are_ you dressed as, Lily?" Emmeline asked, tying a bandanna around her head.

"It's like a Frankenstein thing." She informed. The nonmuggle girls looked at her blank. "Dead body parts sown together and then reanimated with electricity."

"We didn't learn about that in Muggle Studies."

"It's from a book."

Marlene rolled her eyes.

"I thought Frankenstein's monster wore a suit, not some horrible dress." Mary stated, bluntly.

Lily looked down at herself. It was one she'd made from old scraps a charity shop had. They wouldn't have been the colours she'd have chosen - nor would she have picked up stripes and dots - but she'd made sure the dress would look good on her. It was short sleeved, tight to her waist and then fell softly to her knees. "I wouldn't look right if I didn't look tatty."

"Do the dead have perfectly straightened hair?" MacDonald hummed with a smirk. "Or low v-necks?"

"I've straightened my hair before...the neck isn't low!"

"Er, hello, we can see your cleavage."

Lily shook her head. "I've worn stuff like this before. And you know I have. That dress I wore last Slug Club Christmas party was more risqué than this. So stop insinuating something."

"I wasn't—"

"Yes you were, Mary. I dress the way I want to dress because _I_ want to feel good about myself. It's never for a boy's attention."

"You've already got his attention." MacDonald whispered to the other two girls who both tried not to smile. Lily glared at them. "Come off it, Lils. It's a joke."

"Hilarious." She replied, sarcastically and looked at Marlene. "Get ready so we can get this over with."

( _Emmy's boyfriend_ )

The seventh floor corridor was eerily silent. The only sound were their shoes click-clacking against the tiled floor and the occasional drunk giggle of a clumsy Cressida.

"Remind me how we ended up with these two idiots?" Marlene grumbled as she helped keep Fleming upright. Harriet was on her other side ignoring the comment.

Lily ignored it too. It was suspiciously quiet. She kept imagining a teacher, or Filch, coming around every corner and catching them in the act. It was too obvious there was a party. It was too obvious one of the group was drunk. She really wished she'd got the map!

They turned a corner and halted immediately. There was a lion type creature with wings looking point blank at the corner wall. "Do any of you know how to get to this party?" The voice of Miraphora asked through the lions face. Lily didn't know if she'd painted her face or had made a mask on, or if she had transfigured it.

"That's the wrong wall." Cressida whispered a giggle.

"Just follow us." Lily smiled and led the way. "What are you dressed as?"

"Manticore."

"Oh." She had no idea what that was.

"What's up with the mouthy one?" Phora asked, loudly and casually.

"I'm not mouthy." Mary muttered into her chest and proceeded to slow her pace to walk behind the group, where Emmeline was biting her nails, nervously.

The tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy was up ahead where a few other students were waiting. They were fifth years, who were struggling to summon the room. Lily smiled as she walked up to them. In her mind she thought of the most elaborate room full of food, drink, music and laughter. They'd be speakers in every corner with beanbags, or some sort of comfy chair, dotted around the room. Floating coloured lights would dance above heads. Her imaginations took her to a place Jay Gatsby would have been proud off. With this clear image, Lily walked past the wall three times to uncover the door.

It appeared within seconds.

"Nice." One of the fifth years whistled as they opened the door.

Lily let the young ones in first until she recognised one of them. "Abercrombie." She said and stood in the way to not let her through. Murdina was wearing a full black dress with a black veil hat and dark makeup. It was a very typical outfit for the youngest Abercrombie so much so you'd think she was wearing her everyday clothes. "No one under fourth year is allowed in."

"Coote said I could come." Murdina replied, defiantly.

"He wasn't allowed to have a plus one."

"Come one, _Love_." Sirius' voice sounded with a smile as his arms slumped around her neck, from inside the room. He stunk of alcohol. "What is one other person?"

Evans sighed. "Fine. But..."

Murdina didn't wait to hear the rest of the sentence and wiggled her way through a gap.

Lily pushed him away and walked inwards. It was just as she imagined - full of colour and noise. She manoeuvred her way over to the drinks table and found Remus, who was dressed layer upon layer of bandages, and Potter, who had a skeletal face. "Black, you are unbelievable."

"I know."

"That was not a compliment." She said, angrily, and looked at him. His grey eyes were almost hypnotic against the dark, 'dead' make up he had applied, haphazardly, to his face. Lily uncapped three bottles of beer and passed one to Mary, who begrudgingly took it, and the other was for Marlene, but she had gotten herself stuck in the crowd somewhere, so Phora took it.

"Coote fancies her." Sirius said as if his reasoning would be valid.

"Doesn't everyone in third year?"

"Yeah so now he's got an advantage."

Lily shook her head as she rested herself on the table, next to the birthday boy and Remus. "Where's the other idiot?"

"I haven't seen Peter since—" James shrugged. "He's in a bedsheet. You can't miss him."

She refrained herself from mentioning the fact there were, at least, ten other students dress in a white sheet.

"Are you alright, Lily?" Phora asked, peering around James. Her mystical eyes were in a far away place, full of wonder.

"Yes." The redhead replied, cautiously. "Why?"

"Your aura is different. Has something changed?"

Evans swigged some of her drink.

"What's changed?" Mary squealed and looked at the two Heads. "Are you two—"

"No!" Lily snapped before James could say anything.

A blur of blue and a "Happy Birthday" stopped everyone in their tracks. Dippet had ran across the group to Sirius in such a rush of excitement the drinks table, they were all leaning against, shifted. Lily had to regain her balance before falling into the two lovebirds.

"Okay, okay, we get it." Remus said to the couple locked in a very drunken kiss.

Sirius flipped him off.

But Sophia pulled back, giggling. She readjusted her hat and whispered something into his ear, that he appeared to like.

"You look nice, Dippet." Mary said, politely, even though her face said otherwise.

"Thanks." Sophia smiled. There was along awkward silence that followed.

"Where'd you get the uniform from?" Lily inquired, not able to withstand the tension.

"Oh, my cousin goes to Beauxbatons. Don't you think it's such a better uniform than ours?"

"I'd say." Sirius beamed.

Lily wasn't sure how to take Dippet, at that moment. What Marlene said about her not having to raise her game was echoing in her mind. Sure, Sophia looked effortless and perfect, like always, but tonight she seemed calculated. The Beauxbatons uniform to every movement she made, from the careful caress of her hands to the pressure her body pressed against his body, all seemed rehearsed or throughly thought out. Had the leather jacket spooked her? Was she thinking that others girls were going to go after Sirius? Whatever she was doing, Sophia had raised the game higher than before and Lily knew, no one would be able to get above it.

"Is Marlene around?" Dippet asked.

"I only came over here because she wasn't." Lucinda grumbled. It was hard to tell what she was meant to be dressed as. All she could gather was it was slutty. "Do you want me to leave?"

"Yes." Mary coughed.

Chambers glared but stayed put. She was stubborn, after all.

MacDonald walked away from the Ravenclaw and stood next to Lily. "You seen what McLaird's dressed as?"

Evans followed Mary's line of vision to see Alana talking to James. Well, she was trying to talk to him. She was dressed in a brown dress with some kind of head gear, interwoven into her hair. Her face was painted to make her eyes larger, with brown spots dotted on her cheeks. "What? I don't get it."

"His Patronus, obviously." Mary snickered.

The monster inside raged.

"Turning a little green, Evans?"

She swigged her drink, again. "Where's Marlene when you need her?"

"Talk of the devil." MacDonald mumbled as she saw McKinnon, still dragging Cressida around, pushing her way through the crowd.

"Whoa, McKinnon." Sirius whistled. "Since when do you wear a skirt?"

"Aren't you shorter?" Remus noticed.

"Yeah. I'm trying to look like Mary."

The only one who didn't find it funny was Mary. She didn't find it funny when Marlene came out of Lily's bathroom and she sure didn't now. No one knew McKinnon was going to do this and Lily didn't know she was so good at Transfiguration. Marlene had transfigured her hair to be longer, her height to be shorter and her eyes to be a different shade of blue. The only way to tell it was her, than Mary, was her face shape and temperament.

"Did you get lost?" Evans smirked, trying to divert the conversation onto something else for Mary's sake.

"Green left me and this stupid cow wouldn't let me put her down until she got to wish Black a happy birthday." Marlene chuntered. She pushed Fleming towards Sirius and took the half drunk beer from Potter. "Now, she's your problem."

"Happy Birthday!" Cressida hiccuped as she draped herself on him. "Do you like my outfit?"

All the time she'd spent getting her whole outfit right had untangled. Her hair was sticking out all over the place, her lipstick and mascara were running down her face, and the mermaid costume she'd made from a slinky triangular bra, plus pencil skirt, weren't keeping much in place. She looked a mess, like she did every year at Sirius' birthday parties.

"You look lovely." Black responded, respectfully.

Miraphora laughed, a wholehearted chuckle.

"Why's the weird one making that sound?" Cress asked, looking at the Hufflepuff angrily.

"Because he's lying." Phora said through fits of hysteria.

"Excuse me."

"It's alright. Chambers finds you attractive."

"Oh ho ho, Lucinda!" Marlene smiled, maliciously. "I didn't think you were—"

"Shut your mouth, Marlene." Chambers snapped before walking away from the group. The drunk Fleming chased after her.

"I better go see if she's okay." Alana commented and followed her friend.

James sighed, heavily, and looked at his prefect partner. "Did she actually fancy Fleming?"

Phora shrugged. "It was a guess."

"Well, it's obvious that she does now." Marlene sneered. "Did you know, Soph?"

The girl in blue shook her head but Lily didn't hear what she said. Her stare was too transfixed on the scene in front of her. Emmeline was there talking to Boot.

"What is she doing with him?" Mary asked, suddenly, and full of outrage. "Doesn't she know she's not allowed?"

"You can't forbid people from talking to each other." Sophia said, very hypocritically. Lily had to hold her tongue. "Besides, I think, they make a cute couple."

"Couple?" The three Gryffindor's asked.

"You were meant to tell me when you found out." Mary pointed towards Dippet. "How long have you known?"

"A couple of weeks." Sophia said, honestly. "I asked Boot if he knew anything and he told me."

"I can't believe this. My two best friends, and Marlene, don't tell me anything." MacDonald's eyes began to well up.

"Mary, it's—" Lily began.

"Fuck off, Evans. You're the worst of them all." The blonde snapped and stomped away, far into the crowd, and out of the party.

( _The empty bottle_ )

Mary's word resonated in her mind. They were like tiny, little pick axes that kept digging into her soul constantly telling her, _'you're not a good friend'_. Yet how was she the worst. Lily hadn't kept anything from her that was hurtful. Sure, she hadn't elaborated on her escape but that was to protect Mary. If Lily didn't appear to be strong and level headed, the whole dynamic of the group could implode.

When news of Vance and Boots relationship became common knowledge, they fled too. She didn't come over to see where Mary was or how she was taking it, she didn't ask Lily or Marlene where Mary was, nor did she try to explain herself. Hell, Boot had been Mary's dib since third year and she'd made it a rule, a 'code', not to date him, or fancy him, or have anything to do with him.

 _So how am I the worst?_

Lily was drowning her sorrows in dancing, drinking and trying to have a good time but the niggle of Mary's words and the thought that Cressida, or Harriet, had seen her and Potter was beginning to wear her down. So much so, she crashed down on the nearest beanbag in a tired thump.

"Come on, Evans." Marlene laughed. McKinnon only danced at Sirius' party when all her hatred of the world flew away. "Don't let me look like a moron."

"Sitting down is too _good_."

"I'll leave you."

"Go, go." Lily shouted over the music and mimed shooing her away. The drink in her hand swayed and spilled all over her striped socks. "Go dance with someone you fancy."

She shook her head.

"Dance with someone else then. Show him what he's missing."

With a pout, Marlene flopped onto the same beanbag. "It's no use. I can't compete with a girl that wears a fucking silky blue dress."

"But you're not the same as—"

"He's never dated anyone _like_ me, Evans. They've all been...girly and pretty, and care about their appearance."

"You're pretty."

"Shove off." Marlene laughed and pushed Lily off of the beanbag, who fell flat on her face. "Oh my Merlin, are you alright?"

She was crying with hysterics and nodded. "I think you've ruined my look."

"Yeah." McKinnon tittered as Lily stood up. "You've got drink all over your front and you're makeup has smudged."

"Is it bad?"

"Erm...it makes you look like you've drank too much."

"I've only had like two drinks."

"And the rest."

Lily giggled and began to dance again. Her movements were erratic and lacked rhythm but she didn't care. She was laughing, Marlene was laughing and, in that moment, that was all that matter. That was until she hits someone.

"Watch it, Evans." Potter smirked, covering his beer bottle. "This is an expensive suit."

"What type of skeleton wears a suit?"

"So you'd rather I had nothing on?"

"That's not what I said." She said, blushing.

"Well if you want me to be a correct skeleton that means no clothes."

"Okay, no one wants to see you with your clothes off."

"I wouldn't mind." Marlene shrugged from her beanbag.

Potter laughed with a little bit of shock. "Is she alright?"

"She'll be fine." Lily smiled. Over to the side of James, Harriet was milling about aimlessly, on her own. "Can you just watch her for like a few minutes?"

He nodded.

"Thanks." She said and walked away, her gaze complete focused on Green. As she got closer the more it dawned on her that she was just being over dramatic. The Marauders had woken them up early, maybe they went for a run afterwards. Lily had to know and Green was the only one of the two that was still on her feet. "Hey, Harriet. Can I talk to you?"

"I've been wanting to speak to you." She replied. The scales she had painted on her face sparkled. "I guess Marlene told you—"

"Yes, she said she heard you and Fleming went on a run this morning."

Harriet nodded. "We...er...saw you and James—"

"Oh my Merlin, please don't tell anyone!" Lily begged. Her heart was fluttering like mad and her whole body began to sweat.

"Don't worry. I made Cress promise not to tell anyone."

"But—"

"She's changed, Lily. She's not going to tell anyone."

"How can you be so sure? You know how she is. Merlin, she's told people your secrets before."

"And she won't ever again." Green smiled. "After the last _embarrassing_ one she told, I made sure I'd learn a spell to make sure she wouldn't blab her mouth. She can't talk about it to anyone. I promise."

Lily was gobsmacked. She never thought her fellow Gryffindor would be able to do such a thing or even be able to perform the magic needed.

"But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Oh. Okay."

Harriet reached inside her net purse and produced a clear bottle. It was one she recognised from the Potions department. "I found this on the floor by the sofa." She said with sincerity.

Lily inspected it. There was a small trace of a purple liquid inside. Her anger began to rise. "Which side of the sofa did you find this?"

"Erm..."

"Answer the damn question!"

"The side towards the door."

"I...I..." Lily began as she processed the information. Her anger had been replaced with an unusual emotion. She was upset, mainly, but felt used, betrayed and disgusting. "I have to go."

She didn't wait for Harriet to say anything, she just left. Pushing her way through the claustrophobic crowd intensified her emotions. She was trapped. She had become trapped by her actions, by his actions. Her breathing became quick and halted.

 _I will not cry!_

" _Love_ , what's a matter?" Sirius asked as she passed him, by the door.

But she continued to move forward. She needed to get out of there. She needed to take everything off and shower. She needed to be clean.

The air in the seventh corridor was cold and prickly. It stung her watery eyes. Yet the air was fresh and she began to breath normally, again. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. She kept reminding herself to calm down with every step she made, and as the distance between herself and the room increased the better she could think.

"Lily?" James said somewhere behind her. When she didn't stop, his footsteps sounded quicker. He blocked her path and casually placed his hand on her shoulder "Hey—"

"Get off of me!" Lily snapped and retreated back from him. "Don't fucking touch me. Don't talk to me, either."

"What—"

"I said don't talk to me!" She moved to the left to get passed him but he moved to stop her. She moved right, so did he. "Get out of the way, Potter."

"Not until you tell me what's wrong."

"The fact that you don't know."

"Stop being so bloody cryptic, Lily, and just tell me."

The redhead had to compose herself. She had to be strong and fearless to say what she needed to say. "Did you not think I'd find out?" Evans sniffed. "How dare you drug me? With all—"

"Drug?"

"Yes! You slipped some sleeping potion into that glass of water you gave me."

"I didn't."

"You fucking did! I've got the empty bottle to prove it, Potter." She yelled and clenched her fist around the evidence. "After all your talk of trust and never doing such a thing to me, you did it."

"I didn't." He said, again. "Lily—"

"Don't ' _Lily_ ' me. We aren't friends. We aren't anything."

"Who's word are you believing over mine?"

"Why would Harriet lie?"

"Why would _I_ lie?!" James asked, furiously. He rubbed her hands through his hair frustrated. "I can't believe you, Evans. You didn't even question the accusation. Why are you constantly trying to make me the bad guy?"

"You make yourself the bad guy, Potter."

He shook his head. "You're only saying this because bloody _Snivellus_ got in your head."

"Snape has got nothing to do with this."

"It has everything to do with him, like usual. He told you to be careful around me but I'm not the only one that took the sleeping draught, Evans. Maybe that bottle is someone else's."

"Who's?"

"I dunno but I know it's not me."

"I—"

James manner changed and so did his voice. He almost pleaded. "Lily, I'd never do anything like this to anyone, especially you. You know that."

"Don't—"

"Please believe me."

She almost agreed to. The way he was acting was endearing, it was heartfelt, it was genuine. Yet some part of her brain couldn't believe him. He hadn't changed. He would always be James Potter the trickster, the prankster, the buffoon.

"I can't." She whispered and walked passed him.

He caught her arm, softly.

"Get off of me and don't talk to me." Lily yelled. Her eyes welled as she ran away. He didn't follow.

 _I will not cry_. She told herself as she turned the corner away from him.

 _I will not cry_. Her mind reminded her as she rushed up and down the stairs.

"I will not cry!" She yelled as she closed her bedroom door shut.

Her room was a mess. Her friends had left all their clothes strewn across her floor and furniture. Drink bottles and food wrappers dotted the scene like flowers in a field. The untidiness distracted her from her turmoil inside but only for a little while.

Had Potter been right? Had she jumped to conclusions to quickly? Why couldn't she believe him?

Angrily, she picked up her school bag - for it was the closest to her at the time - and threw it across the room, breaking a mirror in the process. "Shit." She whispered as she went over to inspect the damage. It was fixable.

As she got out her wand to fix the mirror, a piece of paper caught her eye. It was small and crumpled up into a ball. Lily, carefully, sat down and peeled it open.

xxx - JP

Her heart ached painfully for that note meant everything.

 **-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.**

 **Now, seeing as you've got this point in the story, I assume you have an understanding of many of the characters. I was wondering if any of you had opinions on what a few of the character patronus' should be. I've sorted Marlene and Emmeline. Lily's was obviously sorted :P I feel like Mary won't be able to produce a patronus by the time the test comes, however if you think differently please inform me. For me, it's either going to be Cressida or Harriet that will be able to do one (not both). I know we only just met Harriet, and it's not been a positive one. So please, help me with a few animal choices for you guys might have connected with a character, or find something interesting about them, that I haven't. (Needed for Sophia, Miraphora, Lucinda, Harriet/Cressida and any of the other minor characters I've mentioned. Ideally female!)**

 **Just** **leave a little review with your thoughts. Thanks xx**

 **Or write to me on tumblr!**


	13. Apology

**AN: Hurricanehairandemeraldeyes, your review literally made my day because I always worry my writing is shit :P and for finding me on tumblr and writing, in caps lock, your excitement made my whole fucking month. I love you guys! Sophiacassiethalia I've never met a person so beautiful in my life with such lovely words. To answer your question on the name, Miraphora Mina is the name of the graphic deisgn that worked on all of the films which is why she's into art, the graphic designer was placed as a ministry worker in the Runes Department, hence...Plus I think it's just such a cool name that deserved to have a mention. Armadillo is spot on, mate.**

 **I might, if anyone is interested, explain myself more with why my characters are called what they are and why some known characters are missing in a tumblr post. If anyone is keen, just message me on my tumblr (madicon). Message me anyway. I'd love for a more connected relationship with you beautiful readers.**

 **I'm sorry about last post being sad Jily times but it's gonna get fixed in this post, trust me.**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling is our Momma bird**

 _Chapter 13 - 'It's the hardest thing to say in the world,' - The Maine_

 _(Breakfast, the next morning)_

She walked into the Great Hall feeling isolated and alone. She knew, for she had been late waking up, that she would have to eat by herself. Her girl friends wouldn't know about the argument she'd had with Potter. They'd be sitting with him, expecting her to go over. Lily couldn't though. She didn't even think she could look at him without feeling...without feeling the huge empty pit that had succumbed her heart.

The Great Hall was incredibly quiet. The only table that had a nearly full capacity was Slytherin. No one on Hufflepuff was up. Ravenclaw's were dotted about and so were Gryffindor. However there was a large group on Gryffindor's bench. The Quidditch team. Potter.

Lily tried not to look at the group, Marlene and Mary were sitting with them, so decided to sit down nearest the door, the furthest away from them. She heard one of them shout her name but she didn't react. She just kept on eating her porridge _._

"Why aren't you sitting over there?" Emmeline asked as she moved up the table, for she had already started her breakfast.

"You can sit with Boot. Mary knows now." Lily replied, avoiding the question.

"Do you hate me as well?"

"No. I don't think Marlene does either."

Vance nodded. "Do you know what Mary is most angry about?"

"I think it's more that you didn't tell her any of it, but it didn't help that it was Boot." Lily mumbled and then slammed her spoon down. "For Merlin sake, Em, there are hundreds of guys at Hogwarts and you choose the one Mary's liked for years. _Why_?"

"I...I...I don't know. It just...I didn't mean for it to happen."

"When you've figured out all the reasons why, you should tell Mary."

"Do you think it would help?"

Evans nodded.

"So, tell me." Emmy said, looking over her glasses. "Why are you not with them lot?"

"Me and Potter—"

"What did _you_ —"

"Me?"

"Yeah. Whenever you two fall out, its because _you've_ had an issue with him."

"That's because he's always a git."

"Shh. They are moving." Emmeline hushed. The Quidditch team, who all looked exceptionally tired and grumpy, were walking passed them in a solid unit. It was their time to begin Sunday training.

"Like I care." Lily commented, loudly. "Potter can hear it all."

Marlene stopped behind Vance. Mary continued to walk ahead. "Are you guys gonna come and watch?"

They both shook their heads.

"Some other time." Lily smiled.

"I'll...er...catch up with you later, then." McKinnon said before leaving, looking a little dejected.

After some time, Emmeline went back to question Lily. "So, what has he done to piss you off?"

Evans fabricated the story a little. She didn't include the couch sleeping part because Lily couldn't deal with that getting out, even to Emmy. Vance brow furrowed, with concentration. It was clear there was something she didn't believe.

"I don't think James would do something like that." Emmy stated, halfway through her story.

"What?" The redhead was shocked and confused. "Why not?"

"He'd never do that to his friends, especially to you—"

"What does this ' _especially to me_ ' bullshit mean?"

"He doesn't lie."

"Fuck off! Potter lies all the damn time."

"You lie."

Lily's hesitation made the point. She did lie. Everyone did. Her mind began to whirl as she replayed back last night. James' lying tell was the twitch of his neck. He didn't do that last night. Sometimes he'd have a slight trace of a smirk. That wasn't there last night.

"He's never been the person you've made him up to be, Lily." Emmeline looked at her seriously. "Who told you about the empty bottle?"

"Harriet."

"Harriet Green?"

"There's only one Harriet in the whole of Hogwarts."

"Yeah, I know, it's just... she's in the Hospital Wing."

Evans gasped. "What?!"

"Walters found her on the steps, outside the Common Room, having a seizure or something." Emmy explained. "And she came rushing up to our dorm to get Cressida."

"Oh my Merlin. Does anyone know what's happened?"

She shook her head.

"We've got to go see her." Lily stated as she got up from her seat.

The two of them didn't converse as they briskly walked to the Hospital Wing. Lily was too busy thinking about what everything meant and, then, began to worry because she wasn't concerned about Harriet at all. She only cared for the truth but it made her feel heartless and selfish.

Evans barged into the Hospital Wing to see McGonagall, Slughorn and Dumbledore there too. They were crowded around Harriet's bed. Dumbledore turned to face her and was about to say something when Cressida flew around the closed curtain.

"Lily!" She cried and hugged her. Lily could just see Harriet passed Fleming's hair. She looked ghostly but peaceful. "Thank Merlin you're here."

"Miss Evans, we were just about to call for you." Dumbledore said, looking over the top of his half moon glasses. His brilliant blue eyes pierced her soul.

"Me?"

"It appears that you were the last person to talk to Miss Green before she fell ill."

"I didn't do anything to hurt her, sir."

The Headteacher smiled. "I had no suspicion you did, but, seeing as Miss Green is currently asleep, we don't know what happened."

"So you want me to help piece things together?"

He nodded.

"Erm... Sirius had a small birthday party in the Gryffindor Common Room and we'd dressed up because...Halloween." She began to lie. Her skin began to feel clammy. "Cress hadn't been well all day so went to bed early and we all thought Harriet had gone with her. But she...er...had gone out of the Gryffindor tower. When she came back in, I went over to talk to her and she gave me—"

"She gave you something?" McGonagall interrupted.

Lily reached into her jean pocket and, carefully, produced the clear vial. She didn't want the crumpled up note to be seen.

"Did you drink this?" Her Head of House asked. McGonagall took the bottle and passed it over to Slughorn.

"No, it was empty when she gave it to me."

"Horace, what do you think?" Dumbledore questioned the Potions master.

"The purple liquid would indicate the Sleeping Draught." Slughorn responded, methodically. He uncorked the bottle and smelt. His nosed wrinkled. "But there are traces of Amortentia too."

"Sir, why would someone put those together?" Emmeline asked. Lily had an idea but hoped she was wrong.

The Potions Master was too busy placing a magical parchment into the bottle. It's edge caught the purple drop and a bright spark of white light emitted. Slughorn's face became remorseful. "Miss Vance, they did it to hide the poison."

Evans' heart sank. Why would anyone poison Harriet? She's never done anything to anyone.

"Do you know what poison?" Madame Pomfrey enquired. She was poised ready to rush off to her medicine cabinets.

"Unfortunately, not. If there had been a bigger sample I could of pinpointed the—"

"A bezoar should work fine." McGonagall interrupted, who had sat Cressida down - she was crying. The nurse fled as quick as she could to her office in such of the ingredient.

"Yes, yes." Slughorn nodded.

"Horace," Dumbledore began. "Check your potions cupboards for any missing ingredients and make sure all the bezoar's we have in the castle are locked away. Minerva, ask the paintings if they saw Harriet last night—"

Flemings tears turned into fitful sobs.

"Sir, what do you think has happened?" Lily asked.

"The Harriet you spoke to last night wasn't herself."

"Do you mean—"

"Certainly, Miss Evans. It would appear someone used the Imperius Curse last night to poison her but why would they make her show you the empty bottle?"

( _The Distracted Goalie_ )

James looked at his team. They looked awful. It hadn't been clear at breakfast but, now that everyone was out in the opening, their hangovers or lack of sleep was beginning to show. Even James could feel a pounding headache, behind his eyes, coming.

"I think I need to go to the Hospital Wing." Sirius moaned after being sick all over Marlene, who was keeping him upright.

"Fuck sake, Black." She scowled.

James got out his wand and cleared the mess up. "No one is going anywhere. You all knew we were having a training session today."

"But, Cap—" Digory grumbled.

"We have the first Quidditch game of the year next Sunday. If you haven't managed to work that out yet, we have seven days - a week - to get our act together." Potter barked. "Our next practice isn't until Thursday so we cannot waste this time. We can't not have a goalkeeper, nor can we lose a beater."

"I think I'm gonna throw up again." Sirius belched.

"Oh Merlin, if he's gonna be sick again, so am I." Dearborn ewwwed.

"For crying out loud." James snapped. "Is there anyone else here who is so stupidly hungover that they think they are seeing the fucking curvature of the Earth?"

Everyone shook their heads cowardly.

"Good. Black, you're benched."

"But, you just said—"

"I know what I said!" He ran his hand through his hair. "I'll play goalkeeper. Alright?"

They nodded.

"Good. McKinnon's taking the warm up."

Marlene asked. "Where are you going?"

"To look after this sod." Potter replied as he took the other side of Sirius. She unlinked herself from him and nodded before riding off into the air. James readjusted his position, for Black had completely put all his weight onto his best friend, before walking toward the stands. Remus and Peter were there, sitting on the grass, unaware of what was happening. "You're a git, do you know that?"

"Yeah you've told me before."

"If we lose to Hufflepuff—"

"We aren't." Padfoot mumbled. "Gryffindor haven't lost to them since we've been on the team."

Sirius knew James knew the facts. He also knew that Prongs was worried about his last year as captain being one full of disasters and failure. None of the team wanted to fail. None of them had told James this, though. But maybe they couldn't see the cracks starting to show like Sirius could.

"Oh Merlin, what's happened?" Remus enquired, worryingly, as he stood up and rushed over to the two of them. He took the other side of Sirius to relieve some of the weight. Peter followed suit by bringing a bag-turned-bucket.

"The worst hangover in the world." Sirius grumbled. "Look after me, Moons."

Lupin chuckled. "I think you're still drunk."

"Pads, do you want me to go get the hangover cure from our room?" Peter asked.

"Yes." Black nodded. Carefully, they helped him down onto the grass. "Get the quadruple strength one."

"Just get the normal one." Remus corrected, placing a blanket over his friends shoulders.

"Hey, you don't know how I feel."

"I know that you're a drama queen and overreact."

Sirius pouted. "Will you still look after me though?"

James rolled his eyes and walked back over to his broom. He looked up to see his team zooming around the pitch. They weren't in the spirit of it. Not even the reserves, who were usual full of energy and wanting to show off.

Potter unlatched the Quidditch crate to let the snitch and the two bludgers free. "King." He yelled at the nearest chaser. Richard King had thankfully heard and flew down to hover in front of him. "You're the leader today. Make sure Robins stays in the formations. Oh, and, don't go easy on me."

"Wouldn't dream of it, Boss." Kingy winked as he took the quaffle from Potter and whizzed away again. James quickly followed but in the direction of goal.

The absolute worst position, in James' eyes, was goalkeeper. He could never understand why Sirius liked playing the position. You were isolate, you never moved very far, you weren't part of the chase. Yes, of course, the goalkeeper plays a very vital part to play but James would rather be in the action of it all than trying to keep three rings safe.

Swoosh. James dodged the bludger Thwack. It hit the goal posts. Swoosh. He had to dodge it again.

"Watch where you are hitting that, McKinnon!" Potter shouted at her.

"Why do you think it was me?" She yelled back. "You should check out who's sitting with your friends. It could be her."

The unmistakable red hair of Lily Evans dotted the green grass. She looked like she was arguing with Sirius. "Did you invite her?" He called but Marlene had already left.

What was she doing there? Was she taunting him? She was a ghost in his heart, one that fluttered in and out without a care in the world, haunting him.

 _What do you want, Lily Evans?_

James shook his head, trying to forget she was there, and focused on his team. The two seekers were looking great, weaving in and out of the stands with ease, and the beaters were practicing hitting the bludger's to a target. The chasers, on the other hand, were in pieces. King wasn't keeping tracks of his team for Robins wasn't near enough the others to pass the ball nor was he fast enough and Dearborn was asleep for a good five minutes before he'd realised.

In a space of half an hour, even though it felt longer, the quaffle hadn't been shot through any of the goal posts. And James, being his impatient self, left the goalposts. "What are you guys doing?" He asked, commandingly. "None of you have got anywhere near the level we need to be at. What if Hufflepuff saw us and got confident?"

"Do we not want them to be confident?" Awen Robins asked, unsure.

"Of course not. We want them to know we are gonna crush them."

"We will." Dearborn yawned.

He would have responding but something caught his eye. "Abbie, move." He said, urgently. Quick, he pushed the back of her broom down to get her out of the way but he wasn't fast enough for himself. The bludger hit his arm, the one holding the broom, causing him to lose balance and fall off.

The wind rushed into his ears as he tumbled towards the ground. The shifting sensation of seeing grass and sky increased his fear of what was to come. He didn't know how he was going to hit the ground. He didn't know how injured he'd be. All he knew was the imminent pain that lay waiting for him.

Suddenly, everything stopped.

There wasn't pain. There was warmth. There was a girl looking down at him. She was close. Her concerned, upset face was haloed by the morning sun and her red hair fall over him like a blanket. With all his strength, he reached up, with his good hand, to brush a few strands behind her ear. He wanted to see her face properly.

"James, are you okay?" Lily muttered as she leant into his hand, with closed eyes.

"I am now." He smiled before the world turned black.

( _Hospital Interrogation_ )

"Where have _you_ been?" Sirius grumbled. He was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed next to James, who was asleep and had his arm wrapped in a white cast, that was already full of scribbles.

Lily felt intimated by the way he was acting. His tone, his body language and attitude amplified her guilt.

"I went to get food." She said and proceeded to produce trays upon trays of anything she could grab from the Gryffindor table from her bag. Lily hadn't seen the Marauders at lunch, with the Quidditch team.

"Nice one, Evans." Peter laughed and took a sandwich plate from her.

He tucked into his late lunch like starved dogs. It was messy and, quite frankly, barbaric. Remus was a little bit more dignified. However there was one person who wasn't touching any of the food.

"Aren't you gonna have anything, Padfoot?" Lupin asked Sirius.

"No, I don't trust it."

"I've just got it from the Great Hall." Lily stated.

"So? That's still plenty of time for you to poison it all."

"Don't be silly." Peter laughed, nervously. "Lily would never—"

"Exactly." He interrupted. "She'd never do something like that but that doesn't mean we should trust her. She is good at Potions—"

"I came down to the Quidditch pitch the second I knew I was wrong." Lily argued.

"You only realised it because Harriet is in here. If she wasn't, how long would you have gone on accusing him? Days? Weeks? Months?"

"Padfoot, you've made your point." Remus muttered, defiantly. "She came down to the pitch to apologise to him. Lily made a mistake—"

"A fucking massive one, Mooney."

"If she hadn't been there, Prongs would be in a worser state."

But Black wasn't listening. He needed to know something and was determined to get it out of her. "I just don't get you, Evans, why would you think he'd do something like that?"

"I'd drank too much alcohol—" She began to reply.

" _Ergh_! Try again."

"Harriet—"

" _Ergh_! Don't blame others."

"Give me a bloody chance!" She snapped and then sighed. "He passed me a glass of water and I slept well—"

Sirius smirked, with a nod. "Yeah, you did."

"You are disgusting." Lily shook her head and, finally, felt invited to sit down on an empty chair. "Nothing like _that_ happened."

"Sure, sure, because we've all just 'slept' on a couch with a beautiful girl."

"Has Potter told you otherwise?"

"No." Black pouted. "Pass us a sandwich, then, _Love_?"

"Merlin's beard, they are literally in front of you." She huffed but passed a few to him anyway. "Are you feeling any better?"

"If he's eating, he's better." Remus smirked.

"Did you have a good night, last night?"

"Aren't you gonna ask me that?" Sirius gasped.

"No. I _know_ you had a good time."

Black winked, taking a bite of his food.

Remus shook his head and replied to the question he'd been asked. Apparently after Dippet showed up, Sirius was difficult to talk to so Lupin found his other friends. Kingsley, people he'd sit by in class or those he didn't know. It became apparent that the more solitary Marauder was more popular, in the sense of knowing more people, than James and Sirius. Which was a surprise to the latter one.

"Who are all these people, Mooney?" Black scowled. "Have you been living a double life?"

"We only have five lessons together."

"So those extra two subject you take, like a big nerd—"

"Did you have fun, Pete?" Lily asked the third Marauder before things got ugly.

Sirius laughed, insensitively. "The bloody idiot got too drunk and had to go back to the tower."

"What time?"

"Er," Pettigrew hummed. "Pretty early on. Like ten-ish."

"Did you have the map?"

"I was too busy with my head in the toilet bowl to look at it...I thought Prongs had it."

"I thought _you_ had it." Remus nodded towards Sirius.

"No, no, _you_ had it Moons."

Lily sighed. "So none of you had it then?"

"Why do you care about it?"

"Maybe one of you could of seen who attacked Harriet."

"Attack?" Remus questioned.

"Didn't I tell you down on the pitch?"

"No, Padfoot didn't give you much of a chance to explain."

"Hey, I was pissed off at her." Sirius defended himself.

Evans reiterated what Dumbledore had theorised earlier. When she mentioned one of the Unforgiveable Curses, each Marauder reacted differently. Sirius clenched his fists as he became furious, Remus' jaw clenched but his eyes were fixed on hearing the whole story and Peter seemed to cower backwards into his chair, hoping the shadow behind him would take him away. Lily did notice his shiftiness and uneasiness but she just put it down to his character.

"Did Slughorn say how long she'd be like this or what the side effects would be?" Remus asked with a tone of worry and concern.

"I should of realised last night that that amount of sleeping draught would have been too much." Lily mumbled. "If she drank it all, she's going to be asleep for a few days, the Amortentia shouldn't work with the little amount used and we don't know what the poison was or how long it was in her system, so I don't know how she's going to be."

"I'm gonna kill him." Sirius barked.

Lily stood up and blocked his path. "Calm down, we don't know all the answers."

"Stop defending him, Evans. For Merlin's sake, he's good at potions, he has an _Amortentia_ —"

"But the only people who knew about me and Potter sleeping on the couch is you guys, Harriet and Cressida. How would Severus have known?"

"So you think one of us tricked you into hated Prongs?!"

"That's not what I said."

"Then who could it be, _Love_? Slytherin is behind this, you watch."

"How would they have found out though?"

"Legilimency." Remus sighed and stood up as well. Peter followed for he didn't want to be the last one out.

"Yes, Mooney." Sirius cheered and pushed passed Evans to join his fellow Marauders.

"Where do you think you're going?"

But they didn't respond.

"Are you coming back?"

Again, no response as they left the Hospital Wing.

Lily had a bad feeling about this.

( _Listening behind closed eyes_ )

 _Scratch. Scratch._

A long, weighted pause.

 _Scratch. Scratch._ "Expecto Patronum." Lily whispered, softly. _Scratch_.

James felt the comfortable blanket of sleeping draught lift away and the immense pain of his left side replaced the calm, coolness of before. He tried to move his left arm but it felt dead and heavy. So did his eye lids.

"Expecto Patronum." He heard her mumbled once more, followed on by her writing something down. Her quill had a distinctive sound - it was always rushed and broken, for she never replaced them quick enough. "Damn it! Expecto Patronum!"

A flick of a page, more notes scribbled down. What was she doing?

Again, he tried to open his eyes and, with a little bit of luck, he was able to this time. The Hospital Wing was illuminated by the many candles it lit during the evening but, without his glasses, everything else was in a blurred haze. It gave him more of a headache. But he wasn't going to let that stop him from looking at her.

At first, she wasn't anywhere in sight. James panicked that his medicated mind had hallucinated her: it wouldn't have been the first time. As he was about to give in and admit his delusion, her red hair bobbed up from the right of him. Lily was sitting on the floor. What was she doing?

Potter tried to move but the pain hurt too much. It hurt too much to breath. He closed his eyes for a split second.

"Lily!" Slughorn exclaimed. James continued to keep his eyes closed because he'd rather pretend to be asleep than have to talk to the Potions Master. "I came as soon as I heard."

"Professor, I..." Lily stuttered. There was a rustling of papers as she stood up. "What about your party?"

"I wanted to see—"

"I'm not coming tonight, sir." She interrupted. "It's best for me to stay with James."

A side of him wanted to tell her she didn't have to, that she could go to the Slug Club meeting, but his heart wanted her there. It was selfish of him to want that but he was yearning to see her, to talk to her, to tease her, to hold her. In his mind, he'd already forgiven her because she was there waiting for him. Lily was there by his side like always.

James could hear the disappointment in Slughorn's voice. "That's understandable. Is Mr Potter alright?"

"Erm, he hasn't woken up yet so I don't know."

"Yes, yes, it's best that he sleeps."

"Do you have any more news on Harriet, sir?"

"What? Oh, your Gryffindor friend. No, unfortunately I don't, Lily, but the bezoar would have worked perfectly. We just need patience." Slughorn's voice sounded insincere. There was a long pause. It was clear the Potions teacher didn't want to leave his favourite student. "What are you working on? Anything I can help with."

"It's predominately charms, sir."

"And I see Quidditch books too." He said with a slight tone of hinting.

Lily picked that up, too. "You know Quidditch?"

"Why, of course I do, Lily. I get season tickets every year from my students. Unfortunately haven't got the whole set yet, still missing out on Holyhead Harpies—"

"Can I ask you questions on Quidditch then, sir?"

"What would you like to know?"

James could hear the two of them move away from him. Where were they going? Why did they need to move? It didn't sound like they'd left the wing but they were far enough away for their whispers to be inaudible.

With one last attempt, James rolled himself over to look at what she was doing. It hurt like Hell but he got there. Lily had made a clear circle around herself of opened books and scraps of parchment scrawled with her notes. Without his glasses it was hard to tell exactly what they were but he could make out a drawing of an arm, various diagrams of Quidditch plays, the familiar markings of Mrs Evans handwriting and the words ' _Happy Memory_?' written in huge letters.

What was she doing?

Potter rolled back over, gasping for breath, as Evans and Slughorn walked back over to him. He closed his eyes once more.

"I do wish you'd be at my little get together, Lily." The Potions Master mumbled.

"I'm sorry, sir. Wouldn't it be better if we had afternoon tea one of the days this week instead?" She propositioned.

Slughorn seemed pleased, if not ecstatic. "Wonderful! How about lunch on Wednesday, after out Potions lesson? We can discuss your Herbology project in full and about the Christmas party. I'd love for you to go over the list."

"Sounds great, sir."

"Have a good evening, Lily." Slughorn farewelled.

"You too...sir." She sighed, heavily, and walked back over to her circle. This time she'd pulled up a chair to continue her work.

James opened his eyes and looked at her. She was none the wiser to his gaze for she was too succumbed by reading. Slowly, he moved his right hand and gently brushed some of her hair behind her ear. He felt her lean into his hand, just like she did earlier. It helped to soothe his pain.

Her hypnotic, green eyes looked up at him...

 _(Brothers)_

He rested against a corner stone. A lit cigarette, perched on his lips, awaiting his needs.

"I thought you'd quit." His brother said, the other side of the corner. Sirius had been waiting for him to arrive.

"You know how I get about family."

The two brothers were close once. When Sirius had been placed into Gryffindor House, to the horror of his parents, Regulus had bought them matching, magically connected notebooks. They used to communicate through them, mainly for Sirius to know whether his parents were in the house or not. (Not that it matter, Kreacher always told them). Yet when he left for the Potter's, something changed between them. They hardly wrote to each other, and if they did, it was for help, for information.

They always met at the same corner, by the courtyard, in the evening. Neither said hello or goodbye. Neither of them looked at each other. It was an unwritten rule they followed.

"How are _your_ parents?" Sirius asked, spitefully. He threw the remainder of his cigarette on the floor.

"The same."

Concern filled his mind. "Are they treating you well?"

"Yes."

"Would you tell me otherwise?"

Regulus replied, honestly. "No."

Sirius sighed and pulled out another cigarette, trying not think about what his parents have done to his brother. "I assume you didn't read my message."

"If I hadn't, I wouldn't be here."

"Where's Snape then?" The Marauders had found Snape, easily. The map helped them with that. There was just one problem. He stayed in the Slytherin Common Room all day. "I need to speak to him."

"Why?" Regulus asked, aggressively. He heard him move, slightly. "So you can—"

"Why you getting worked up, Reg? Trying to hide something?"

"You are insinuating that one of my friends, one of my House, has hurt one of yours-"

"It wouldn't be the first time."

"And it wouldn't be the first time for you to have hurt one of mine either."

"There is a difference between a hex and the Imperius Curse, Reg. _You_ should know that." Sirius commented, inhaling a puff of his cigarette. He turned towards his brother, hoping to see a hair, a nose, his shoe from around the corner. "Mother was never one to hide it from you."

"She asks about you. Sometimes."

Sirius didn't want to talk about his parents. He didn't want to think about them. He'd left them in the past and that's where he wants to keep them. The eldest brother stood up from his slouched position, tapped his cigarette and spoke. "Tell Snape I want to talk to him."

"There were plenty of people who went to your party—"

"None of them—"

"You need someone who has hold of a sleeping draught, an _Amortentia_ —"

Sirius turned the corner and looked at his brother. "How do you know this?"

"Slughorn. He was talking about it at his party because Evans didn't show up." Regulus replied. With every time they met, he looked worse. Thinner, paler, tireder. A grin, that would be found on Sirius' face when he could stir things up, spread across the younger brothers face. "Didn't your friend, Pettigrew, leave early?"

"Watch it—"

"Check your room, Sirius. You might find things have gone missing."

"You're lying."

"Why would I lie? Do you not trust my word, anymore?"

The Gryffindor shook his head. "You are too loyal to Slytherin and the Blacks to be trustworthy."

"And you are to that scrawny prick, and his mudblood girl—"

Sirius had raised his arm, ready to hit his brother. _Mudblood_. A word his mother had used regularly and said with the same amount of disgust. But he didn't hit him. He saw the fear in his brother's eyes and how he seemed to cower backwards into the shadow. Their mother, or someone, had hit Regulus, had done something to him for Sirius recognised those scared eyes as his own.

He dropped his arm, shamefully. "If you have nothing to hide...If you want me to believe you, show me your arm."

Regulus grabbed his left arm, subconsciously, giving everything away to his brother. Within milliseconds he realised what he'd done. The fear in his eyes intensified. Sirius didn't know what to do or what to say. His suspicions had been correct but it only amplified his failure as a brother. If he'd stuck around, if he'd been able to endure more time at Grimmauld Place, Regulus might not have ended up in the situation.

"Here's a tip, baby bro." Sirius muttered, trying his best to produce a smile. But he couldn't. His brother was one of them. "If someone, who isn't me, asks you for your arm, and they don't specify left or right, don't touch anything."

"I don't have to explain myself to you." The Slytherin lashed out.

"And I don't have to trust you with anything."

"Things are changing, Sirius." Regulus warned, ready to leave.

"I'll be there to stop you and to protect you."

"It's too late for that."

Neither of them would ever admit that they checked their notebooks daily, after that point.

( _The Apology_ )

"James!" Lily gasped and stood up immediately, not caring that the books would fall off of her lap. She grabbed for his glasses, opened them for him and placed them on his face. "Are you alright? Are you in any pain? Do I need to get—"

"Lily." He muttered as she continued to fluster.

"Are you hungry?" She asked and rummaged in her bag. She produced the food she had saved for him. "I didn't get chance to go down to get dinner but I've got sandwiches. I made sure it was the ones with ham but with no tomatoes and cut in triangles, with the better crust sides. Oh, and I've got you three slices of treacle tart. Do you need a drink? I got pumpkin juice or do you want—"

"Lily." He said, again, with a huge smile on his face.

"Oh Merlin, I haven't even apologised."

"Lily!" He laughed. This time she stopped. "It's okay. We're okay."

"Oh no, you don't, Potter. I'm gonna apologise so shut your mouth." Lily spoke and sat back down in her chair. The vast amount of guilt, she had felt throughout the day, had boiled to the surface causing her to forget the words she'd wanted to say. She sighed heavily and picked up a book, the one she'd be reading, before she continued. "I'm so sorry about what I said last night. I just... I didn't want to believe that... I understand I crossed a line and if you don't forgive me, I get it. You have a right to be angry at me—"

"I was angry with you."

"You should still be angry with me."

"Why?"

"Because I fucked up, James! I hurt you...I hurt us more than anytime before. I don't get why your just letting it slide."

He brushed another flyaway hair off of her face. His expressions was soft and calm, like his voice. "I've realised I'd rather be by your side than be mad with you, because that would be _all_ the time."

Lily spluttered a laugh and nodded her head. "I'm incredibly sorry, though."

"Always trust I have your back, okay?"

Her mind rushed back to her daydreams. He'd only said those words, that exact phrase, in her mind. It felt weird to hear them in real life. It brought up the emotions she'd felt, during her hallucinations, and they were rising too quickly for her to stop them. They were overwhelming and painful but she smiled through it. "Because you're being so nice about this, I feel like I owe you something."

"Hmm." James pondered. A wicked grin formed on his face. "How about a...kiss?"

"What a way to kill the mood, Potter."

"I'm being serious."

"You wouldn't be able to handle it."

"I think you'd find, Evans, you'd become completely in love with me."

"I'm not kissing you."

"I dare you."

Lily glared at him. Never had she refused a dare but she knew she wouldn't be able to do it. It would change something between them, something that could never be undone or forgotten.

"As much as I'd love to," She sarcastically began and soon stopped. Holding back a smile she grabbed a tissue and passed it to him. "You've got a nose bleed, you idiot."

"You could still kiss me."

"I'm not kissing you."

"So you forfeit?"

"I guess so."

"You have to go on a date with me, then."

Her heart fluttered. "A date? When?"

"We've got a Hogsmeade trip next Saturday."

"That's the last one before Christmas. How am I meant to get your present if you're there?"

"Excuses, excuses." He muttered as he, finally, took a sandwich.

"You can't be there when I buy it. I want it to be a surprise."

"Would it have anything to do with Quidditch?"

She closed her book and tried to cover the front cover with her hands. "No. I'm just...How do you know I'm reading about Quidditch?"

"I heard you and Slughorn." James answered, honestly. "You don't have to stay with me, you can go to his party."

"I said we'd go together so I'm staying here...with you." Lily blushed. She opened the book, again, and began reading where she'd left off. It helped her to relax and not to think about the words she was about to say. "I'll go on this date with you but only if I can get your present beforehand."

"You're the one that keeps thinking it will be a whole day."

"Oh, I thought that's what you wanted."

"As lovely as that would be, Evans, I think a few hours would be fine for our third date."

"When were the other two?"

He gasped. "The fact that you don't know is too hurtful for me to tell you."

Lily laughed. "Eat your bloody sandwiches."

Neither of them spoke for awhile. Lily went back to reading and writing her notes, while James stuffed his mouth with food. She could feel him looking at her but she kept pushing through her research. She didn't want to have another conversation about kisses or dates. Her heart wouldn't be able to take anymore pressure.

"Aren't you meant to hold a person's hand when they are in the Hospital?" James asked behind a glass of pumpkin juice.

"Where'd you get that from?" She replied with another question but still kept her head down. Lily knew where he was going.

"You said—"

"I know what I said but there is a difference between you and Remus."

"Oh yeah, what's that?"

Lily looked up and smiled, cheekily. "I actually like Remus."

"Ouch." Potter grinned. "You know how to knock a wounded guy down, Evans. You, definitely, have to hold my hand now."

"I'm busy."

"Er, you're left hand isn't doing anything and I haven't broken my right one." His smile grew wider as he extended his good hand towards her. It was an incredibly infectious smile, one that Lily found herself reciprocating.

She laughed, a little, as she took his hand. Lily tried to not to think about the current that was passing through her body. It fed the monster inside her. It was happy. She was happy. Their fingers entwined slowly, and carefully, as they tested each other to see if it was alright to do so. Neither complained.

"What you working on?" James asked, after some time. "Is that a healing book?"

"I'm just looking to see if I can mend your arm in a week."

"Can't Madam Pomfrey do that?"

"If you don't remember, Potter, you've broken your arms before—"

"All because of you."

"—and they took longer than a week to heal. I know you, James: you're gonna want to play the Hufflepuff game next Sunday, so I'm just looking."

"Any luck?"

"I can't tell yet, you keep interrupting me." She laughed. "I don't even know if I'd be able to perform the charm anyway. I've never practiced such a spell before, and I don't want to fuck up your arm anymore than it already is."

"I've just broken my arm then?" He asked, puzzled.

Lily looked confused. "Yes. You're just a bit bruised on your right side. Do you feel pain anywhere else?"

"No. But I must have fallen...Maybe I wasn't that high up."

She fidgeted in her seat. "I used the _arresto momentum_ charm to slow you down."

"Really?"

"You can blame Black for the bruises, he was distracting me."

"I can cope with them." He laughed. "Thank—"

"Don't. It was the least I could do after my fuck up."

James squeezed her hand. His eyes bore into hers, full of an emotion she'd never seen from someone before. With every inhale of breath, everything within her ached. Everything inside of her wanted him but she couldn't. She had to look away. "Lily, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." She lied. Everything was wrong, everything had changed and she didn't want to face it, face him.

"Do you want to sit up here? On the bed?"

"I'm good here."

"I don't bite."

Lily laughed. "I'm holding your hand and have agreed to go on a bloody date with you, Potter, what else do you want?"

"I want to help you."

"Help me?"

"Yeah. I heard you doing the Patronus charm before—"

"And sitting on your bed will help how?"

He shrugged. "You've got nothing to lose if you do."

The redhead looked at him with a scowl. What was his motivation for this? He could help her as they are now, with distance between them. Yet the more she thought about it the same thing kept popping up, deep down she still didn't trust him.

Determined to get this out of her system and, to just get it over and done with, she stood up. "Move over then." Lily muttered as she sat down next to him. He was very close. She swung her legs onto the bed, looked to her left and sighed heavily. "What now, then?"

James picked up his wand from the table and incanted the Patronus charm. The beautiful silver stag pranced in the air as it came to life. It stopped at the end of the bed and walked over to her, just like it did before. Lily smiled at the familiarity of it's warmth. "What do you think about?" She asked as she reached out to touch the stag's bowed head. "And don't say your happiest memory."

"It changes. I think of my worst memory and then replace it with a happy one. It's that difference I use."

"That's not in the textbooks."

He shrugged, cockily. "It works."

"Okay, so what did you just think of?"

"Erm...the worst memory was from last night and the happiest is of you being here."

Lily felt the heat rush to her face. "I haven't don't anything though."

"Last night, I thought I'd lost...you," He whispered. She brushed her thumb along his. "Today, we are back to normal. That makes me pretty happy...It's the freshest memory I have at the moment so I used it. Use whatever you are feeling right now."

Evans closed her eyes and exhaled. Worst memory? She didn't want to use how she felt or anything from the past few hours. She didn't want to be a cliche of being a heroine thinking of a guy to make her accomplish something. But the immeasurable amount of guilt she had felt earlier in the day was still circling around her head.

 _Okay_ , she thought. _Your worst memory is of your guilt of having no trust for Potter. What is your happiest from today? Him accepting you apology? The letter from your parents and how Petunia hates the moustache your dad has grown?_

She exhaled once more before she muttered. " _Expecto Patronum._ "

The usual blue smoke emitted out of her wand. It danced around her, James and his Patronus. "Don't stop." James smiled. He placed his hand over hers and helped her continue the circular motion.

Lily focused on her memory's and watched as her wisp of light kept bounding around the silver stag. It too noticed. James' Patronus moved away but her's still followed, toying with it. "What's it doing?" She asked him.

"I don't know."

The silver light began to grow bigger, take an animal form, but, as soon as that happened, the stag began to walk out of vision. Her Patronus followed. "No, wait." Lily said, trying to get off the bed, quickly, before she couldn't see what it was.

But she was too late. The two Patronus' had walked through the solid oak doors, of the Hospital Wing, before she could see.

"Did you see it?" James asked, full of excitement for her.

Evans shook her head, disappointed. She wondered back over to him and sat back down on the bed. His arm went over her shoulder. She crumbled into his side fed up of being a failure.

"You'll get it next time, Lily." He said quietly as he kissed her head.

Her heart hurt, ached, tortured her from that—

"Have you signed my cast yet?"

—moment onwards.


	14. Date

**AN: Hi again! WARNING: The first few parts are small snippets as we get ready for the date! EEK! Exciting!**

 **Right, enough of exclamation marks. I got some thanks to give. AditiNaik you are amazing on and on tumblr. And Breanie I'm loving you. Dingyi, baby, loving you too. MilaEvans, mwah. Edwiges Potter, I'm so glad you see James and Lily getting it right and you're from Brazil?! I hope you understand my very dry, British humour (sometimes)**

 **Ellaaa24 love you too and I'm going to explain the girls relationship to Mary and Emmy. Mary is the type of girl - and everyone knows this girl - that tells secrets without realising and she's the person who will make everything a big deal. And they always have a look, that's the most annoying look, as if they are looking all the way into your heart because they know you like someone but if you admit it, they are going to be too obvious about it...I suppose it's hard to explain if you've never met this girl but then, maybe you're that girl. Gasp.**

 **Emmeline is quieter and more composed so she never gets a word in when around Mary but, to me, she is a solid character and has a very stable relationship with Lily. Similarly to Remus - who I haven't written about much because everyone has an agreed upon notion of who he is. That's not to say I'm gonna leave him, or Emmy, out. Plus Vance was keeping a huge secret about dating Boot, which is a big no-no, so she'd been a little bit more distant.**

 **Merlin, I just had flashbacks of secondary school or college. Nasty.**

 **Sorry for the really long wait, I kept changing my mind on how I wanted the date to go.**

 **PS. Ellaaa24 what's your tumblr name? I'm gonna follow ya.**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling is the Aeon Worm. Never doubt the worm.**

 _Chapter 14 - 'Say this magic words' - This is Kit_

 _(The jigs up)_

It would be a lie if Lily said she hadn't put any effort into her look that morning. She'd taken extra precision in applying her makeup, she'd made sure she'd put on a pair of tights that didn't have a ladder in and she'd thought about how her hair looked, instead of it being pulled back into a messy bun at the nape of her neck. Of course, these were minute changes to her appearance but they were obvious to a certain blonde Gryffindor.

"Got a date today, Evans?" Mary questioned with a smug look on her face.

"No."

"Liar. Why else would you be looking so good?"

"I feel like I should be offended by this." Lily looked to Marlene. "Should I?"

McKinnon shrugged, with her mouth full of croissant. "I'm not listening."

"Maybe, Mary, I want to make myself feel better after having such a shitty couple of months." The redhead theorised. "So what if I've put a little bit more makeup on and I've brushed my hair."

MacDonald gasped with a giggle. "You've brushed your hair? Isn't he a lucky guy."

"Not everything's about a boy."

"I see you've also painted your nails. Are you hoping he's gonna hold your hand?"

"No—"

"What about the way you're sitting?"

"I'm sitting how I normally am."

"Sure, sure, because you always sits so upright and forward. Trying to show off your curves, Evans?"

"I'm not. I'm..." Lily blushed and fidgeted about, trying to figure out how she usual sits. "No one's looking at me, it's only you that's making a big deal out of this."

"Take a look to the left of you, Evans." Mary snickered.

She looked over her shoulder to see the Marauders further down the table. James was looking at her as he took a sip of his pumpkin juice. He waved and smiled before he had swallowed his drink. It went all over him. Lily's blush deepened as she found herself smiling back and laughing, even when she turned away and focused back on her breakfast.

"It's happening." The gossipy blonde whispered, excitedly.

The jig was up. Her reaction was too obvious so she did the only thing she knew how and glared. "I swear if you squeal or make a big deal out of this, I'm telling you nothing."

Mary gestured that her mouth was zipped. Marlene, on the other hand, was free to ask questions. "So it's true. You and Potter are going on a date?"

Lily nodded but stopped. "What do you mean 'it's true'?! Did he tell you?"

"No. We heard Lockhart talking about it—"

"Lockhart? How would he know?"

McKinnon shrugged, again. "Maybe he guessed."

"How?"

"You and Potter have been—"

"Can I just ask one thing?" Mary exhaled. Evans was about to let her but she exploded with a high pitched squeak. Thankfully, no one else in the Great Hall heard or noticed. "Tell me...tell us everything!"

The Head Girl inhaled. "James..."

MacDonald jumped.

"What? I haven't started yet."

"I just love it when you say his name."

She rolled her eyes and started the story over. Lily didn't go into every detail like why she had fallen out with him that Halloween night or the fact she had stayed in the Hospital bed that night of the apology. Or the times he'd snuck into her room on an evening or two. "I'm only going on this date because I forfeited a dare. That's all."

"What was the dare?" Marlene asked.

Evans squirmed. "A kiss."

Mary's voice went higher. "You _like_ him."

"I do not."

McKinnon agreed with Mary. "A kiss would last a second but you would rather spend time with him—"

"No, no, that isn't what it means."

The two blondes looked at each other.

Lily pouted. "Stop that."

"We're not doing anything." Mary smiled.

"You're insinuating things with your eyes."

"Paranoid, much?"

"If I'd have kissed him, you would have said the exact same thing."

"A kiss doesn't have to mean anything."

Evans sighed. _It could mean everything._

 _(Boys dorm)_

"Shit, shit, shit." James began to panic. He'd been like it since he saw Lily at the breakfast table. "What am I supposed to say to her? She looked so—"

"Keep still." Remus ordered as he tried to steady Potter's arm, on his truns. "If you'd let Madame Pomfrey do this four days ago, when you're arm had actually healed, I wouldn't be doing it."

"But then there'd be no more Nurse Lily." Sirius teased.

"Instead of standing around like morons, will you two hold him down."

"Someone's a bit bossy today." Black stated but followed his friends demand. Himself and Peter held James' arm still while Lupin cut the cast off, with a spell.

"What the fuck do I do, Pads? Did you see—"

"Yes, we all saw that she had brushed her hair."

"I know, it looked so—"

"Do you want me to slap him?" Peter muttered.

Remus grumbled. "If you do, he'll have no arm."

"I'm gonna mess this up, guys, and then I'm gonna have to live with you lot forever."

"Hey!" Sirius pointed. " _We_ are going to live with _you._ Not the other way round."

"What difference does it make? I'm gonna be alone."

"I really think I should slap him." Wormtail stated, again.

"Just talk to Evans like you always do."

"But what if it goes wrong? What if I say something stupid?"

"That's bound to happen at some point." Peter snickered.

"Merlin, I'm gonna ruin it."

"Do you need flash cards?" Sirius sarcastically asked. "You need to stop worrying, Prongs. You've known Evans for _nearly_ seven years and you're comfortable with each other, right?"

James nodded.

"So there shouldn't be a problem. If it goes quiet, don't try to fill it with rubbish. Just sit there."

"Sometimes silence works." Remus agreed.

"And mind your manners.

"And make sure you give her the last slice of treacle tart."

"And try not to get crumbs on yourself, like you have now." Sirius noticed some toast crumbs on his juice-free jumper and brushed them away. "I wish you'd do something about your hair, as well."

"Get off." James batted away Padfoot's hand away. "Who do you think you are? My mother?"

"I know you were trying to make that an insult but your mother is a wonderful lady, so I'm gonna take that as a compliment."

Potter tutted. "You nearly done, Mooney?"

"I would be if you stopped fidgeting."

"It's Padfoot's fault."

"I know _who's_ fault it is."

"Hey." Sirius tried to defend himself. "It's not my fault _he's_ an untidy mess."

"Hypocrite. Look at _your_ side of the room." James argued. He felt the weight of the cast fall way from his arm. It felt cold and alien. "Thanks, Mooney." He said as he sharply tugged his arm out of his friends grasps. "I'll see you all later."

They watched him leave their dorm room. Only Sirius looked satisfied .

"Should we have let him go when he's pissed off?" Peter questioned. "Won't that make the date go badly?"

Black's grin grew for he knew James wasn't worried anymore.

 _(Head Girl's Room)_

 _Knock. Knock._

"Fuck off, McKinnon." Lily shouted as she laced one of her boots up. The Gryffindor Beater had already been up three times to hurry her up. "I'll be down in a minute."

 _Knock. Knock_.

She stormed over to her door and opened it with the rage of a thousand erumpents. "Marlene, I bloody told you—" She began but faulted when she saw three of the four Marauders at her door. All with arrogant smiles on their faces. "What... How... How do you guys get up here?"

"You said you wanted to talk to us so here we are" Sirius stated as he barged passed her. Remus and Peter were more courteous and waited for her to move. By the time she had shut the door, Black was lying on her bed looking, annoyingly, comfortable.

"Hey, get off of there." The redhead said, walking over to him. Lily tried to push him off but gave up, eventually. "If he's on my bed, you guys might as well make yourself at home."

"We're good." Remus smiled as he stood leaning against her wardrobe. However, he gave Peter a look to stay where he was. "We've come baring a gift."

"If it's the fucking scarf—"

It was the scarf. James' lucky one. He'd wrapped it around her head for the past week trying to get all the luck from Lily. She kept telling him it was only to be worn on Quidditch match days but the sod didn't listen. He never listened.

Reluctantly she took it from Lupin and tied it around around her neck. She tried not to look too long or sort her hair out too much but they noticed the care she was putting in to her look.

"I assume you told Mary at breakfast about this date?" Mooney, the more observant Marauder, inquired.

Lily sighed, sat back down on her bed and went back to tying her shoe. "That obvious, huh?"

"Not to everybody."

"Good. The less people know the better."

"Why? Who else knows?"

"Somehow Gilderoy found out. Or at least, he's gossiping about it."

"How does that git know?" Sirius asked. "Prongs told us about it in our dorm room. He wouldn't tell anyone else, especially not that knobhead."

"Maybe he was in the Hospital Wing _that_ night."

"I doubt it." Peter scoffed. "We would have seen—"

"Seen?" Lily gasped. "Were you guys looking on that bloody map?!"

They all shifted and looked between one another. Sirius muttered. "You hadn't come down to dinner...We only checked a few times."

She felt like pursuing the matter further but it was clear they had been worried about her, not James. Someone had attacked Harriet. Someone could of attacked her. Thankfully there hadn't been anymore poisoning's or the use of an Unforgiveable Curse in the last week, and Harriet was making a full, but slow, recovery. Lily went to see her everyday.

Evans sighed. "It doesn't matter, anyway. I'm sure it's going to be obvious that we're on a bloody date."

"Do you want us to—"

"No, no. I wanted to speak to you about Christmas."

"Christmas?" Wormtail laughed. "That's ages away."

"I need you to make sure James doesn't go in or anywhere near the Quidditch shop this morning."

"Done." Sirius nodded. "Anything else?"

"I need you to steal his broom after tomorrow's game."

"Oh sure, because that's going to be possible. Why'd you even need it?"

"All you need to know is it's for his Christmas present. If you're not gonna do it—"

"I didn't say _we_ wouldn't do it."

Remus agreed. "We can easily replicate it."

"But Prongs is gonna know his broom is missing. The idiot polishes it every night."

"He'll just have to deal with it." Lily said. "It's not like he needs it anyway. The next Gryffindor match, after tomorrow, is in January."

"What about in practice?"

"Mrs Potter would have to send one of his old ones." Peter suggested. "But how are we going to steal it?"

The three Marauders all looked at Lily, in unison, as they concocted a plan. Sirius smiled, sweetly. " _Love_ , seeing as this is your plan, you can distract him. Keep him out of our dorm, and the Common Room, for like an hour or two and he won't suspect anything."

She pouted. "Fine."

"Right then. We better get off." Black muttered and got off the bed in one quick movement. He herded Remus and Peter along with him. "We'll be back later to hear everything."

"Nothing's gonna happen."

"Never say never, _Love_."

Lupin turned back to say goodbye as he opened the door for them. Peter went through first followed by himself. When it was Sirius' turn to leave, he muttered something to his two friends and shut the door.

"Black, what are you doing?" Lily asked, confused. "I thought you were leaving."

"We need to talk." He said, very seriously.

It made her nervous. "Okay?"

Sirius paced back and forth. "Last Sunday, I spoke with my brother...You know we thought Snape could of done it but the bastard didn't leave the Slytherin Common Room...Regulus...He..."

"He said something that has been bothering you?"

"Reg said it could of been anyone at the party, anyone that left early."

"That doesn't narrow it down."

"But he knew Wormtail had left." He sighed and stopped.

Lily got off her bed and walked over to him. "Peter wouldn't do—"

"That's what I thought. I went away from seeing Reg angry that he had blamed my friend but...I had to check."

"Check what?"

"Does it matter? I checked! I didn't trust my friend. I...I'm sorry for the grief I gave you last week for accusing Prongs because that's exactly what I did to Peter."

Evans wasn't too sure on what to do but she could tell he wanted her to ask a question. "Did you find anything?"

He exhaled loudly. "A sleeping potion is missing but James' _Amortentia_ looked fine."

There were on two other love potions in Gryffindor Tower and Lily went straight to hers. She didn't hide it - it was placed next to her mirror, on top of her chest of draws - but she didn't look at it either. Yet now that she was noticing, it did look a little different. There was less in there, even if it was by a drop or two.

"This doesn't mean Peter did it." Lily defended him, while showing Sirius the evidence. "Harriet could of done it under the Imperius Curse. Girls can get into the boy's dorms easier than you can into ours."

"But Peter knows—"

"If he did this, what if it wasn't him? What if he had been put under the Imperius curse? Harriet doesn't remember anything, nor would Pete."

Black stared at her.

"Your brother knew Peter wasn't at the party, right? Not that I'm accusing your brother, but it would explain how he knew Peter wasn't there. Someone could of used the Imperius curse to get information out of him and to then get the ingredients from our rooms." Lily theorised. "Or maybe it was a way to trick you into not trusting your friend."

"Argh, this is all bullshit!"

"We have to stick together, Sirius." She said and touched his arm, gently. "If we don't, they are gonna win."

"I can't believe I doubted..." He sighed, once more. "I...I better go so you can get on with your Christmas shopping."

"I speak to you later."

"Good. I want to know all the gossip." Sirius laughed as he opened the door. He walked through but suddenly turned back, remembering something. "Oh and Evans?"

"Yeah."

His look was full of concern. "Please don't hurt my friend."

( _Ice cream and broomsticks_ )

"Lily and James, sitting on a broom—" Mary sang as she walked up to the redhead, with a teasing smile.

The three Gryffindor girls had split off to do their Christmas shopping and Lily wasn't expecting to see them until later on. "Shut up, MacDonald." She snarled. "Don't you have to go and...and be somewhere else?"

"I'd love to but you look so lonely."

"Isn't Potter meant to be here by now?" Marlene said, puzzled, as she looked at her watch.

Lily pouted and crossed her arms. She was fully aware of what time it was and how late he was. She felt like a fool for standing around, in the cold, waiting for him. It was getting harder not to hurt Sirius' friend with every second he got later.

The three lapped into silence. With every passing second, Lily annoyance grew. How dare he be late!

Bong. Bong. The town clock rang. Potter was thirty minutes late.

"Do you—" Mary began, unsure on what to say. "Do you want to come into the Three Broomsticks with us?"

Marlene helped, in her own way. "You know...because Potter's late."

"Nice work, McKinnon. Couldn't you have mentioned that it was cold?"

"Er...it is cold."

Evans laughed but turned serious and shook her head. "I'm staying right here and, when I see that twat, I'm gonna give him a piece of my fucking mind."

"Does that mean we have to stay out here too?"

MacDonald swore. "Merlin's sake. Can you not wait for like five seconds? You're not gonna starve to death."

"You don't know that. I've got a game-"

"That's tomorrow."

"I'm the—"

"Fuck off!" Lily snapped and began to walk away. "I don't need to hear you two bicker."

She didn't get very far. James Potter rounded the corner with smile on his face, one that was so irritating Lily had already started a hex. When he noticed her, and her angered expression, he stopped and looked confused. "Evans, where are you going?"

"Back to the castle." She huffed as she barged passed him.

"Whoa. Hold up." James rushed and stood in front of her. "We've got a date."

"Oh, so you do remember. Do you know how embarrassing it's been waiting for you, of all people, to show up?"

"Erm..."

"Do you even know what time—What have you got there?"

His smile returned as he outstretched one of his hands. The small striped paper pot looked familiar. "Ice cream. I got—"

"Hogsmeade doesn't have an ice cream shop."

"Yeah, I had to go to Diagon Alley."

Her aggression slowly subsided as she peered into the little containers to see her favourite ice cream combination. "James, I—" Words escaped her. All she knew was that he had remembered.

Potter passed her the one with the bigger portion. "I'm sorry I'm late, there was a bit of an issue."

"Late...I—" Again, she stumbled to find words. She couldn't even bring up her anger for him being late. It felt odd to let it drop, but in a good way. "What issue?"

He laughed, a little embarrassed. "I tried to apparate with cones—"

"You idiot." Lily giggled, hysterically.

"Hey. Hey! I wasn't thinking properly."

"Clearly." She smirked as she took a spoonful of ice cream. Evans felt awkward as they stood there in silence, especially after she'd had a go at him. "Wouldn't it have been easier to have the date there? I can apparate to Diagon Alley."

Potter moved out of her way and began to walk in the way she'd come from. "It would have been to risky."

"Risky?" Lily asked as she followed him back into the high street.

"I wouldn't want to put you in the situation where you could get into trouble with school...or worse."

"That's not your decision to make, James. I can protect myself."

"I know." He sighed. "Diagon Alley isn't safe anymore, Evans."

They lapsed into silence as they ate their ice cream. Lily hated herself for stirring the conversation to such a topic. Everything felt awkward. Or did she just feel awkward because people were noticing the two of them together? She hoped they weren't going to the Three Broomsticks.

But as they passed it and down towards a different establishment, her guard went up and began to protest. "No, no, we aren't going—"

"Calm down, Lily. Do you really think I'd take you to that place?"

"There's nothing else down this street."

"The surprise would be ruined if I told you what's at the end."

"But—"

"Why have you got such an issue against the place, Evans?"

"Madam Puddifoot's gives me the creeps." She admitted with a shiver. "Why does it have to be the place to take someone on a date? And why is it so pink?"

"You had a bad experience in there, Evans?"

"Huh?"

"Was it with Patil? Or which ever one of the Prewett Twins? Was it the one McKinnon dated or—"

"You don't see me bringing up any of the many girls you dated."

"None of them matter."

"So why should mine?"

"That reminds me, the many girls, you've so kindly bought up, would always be very grateful at the end of a date."

"Do not be expecting anything like that from me."

"I wasn't." He smiled, flirtatiously, with the ice cream spoon perched between his lips. "But, I know, you'll be completely in love with me by the end of the day."

Lily rolled her eyes.

Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop soon encroached upon them but they walked passed the pink monstrosity. She tried not to look inside but she noticed Emmy and Boot sitting in there. They looked happy and cute together. Perhaps two people who were opposite's could compliment each other after all.

Whether it was consciously or not, Lily looked at James. Something light and fluttery encased her heart. It made her want to link arms with him, hold his hand, lean on him, touch him, run her fingers through his hair, bring his head down to her—

"Have I got ice cream on my face?"

She shook her head but the feeling didn't move. It increased as she looked into his hazel eyes and could see the same emotions running through him. She wanted to ask what he felt, whether this was all real, but she couldn't.

"Arh, come on, Evans. You can talk to me." James smiled and placed his left arm over her shoulder, bringing her in closer to him.

"It's—Your arm!"

"And you say I don't notice things." He laughed. "I got it off this morning."

"Does it feel alright?"

Potter flexed his hand, slightly caressing her shoulder. "Never been better."

A slight blush appeared on her cheeks as she reached up to touch his hand. Their fingers entwined immediately.

"Red."

"Huh?" She muttered, confused by the sudden outburst of a colour.

"Your nails. You've painted them my favourite colour."

Lily tried to tug her hand away but he kept hold of it. "They are for the game tomorrow. Not you."

That annoying smug stayed on his face for some while because they both knew it was for him.

"So..." Evans said, softly. "What else do you have planned for today? Or are we just heading to the Forbidden Forest?"

"Well." James replied and let go of her hand. He walked ahead and turned behind a wall.

"Wait, where are you—"

He came back into view with a lopsided grin and a broom in his hand. "I bet you've never seen Hogwarts from the air before."

"Why's there only one broom?"

"If you're concentrating on flying, you won't enjoy the view."

Lily tried hard not to smile. It was a clear ploy, one of the oldest tricks in the book, but she surprisingly didn't care.

"What are you doing?" James asked as she sat sideways on the broom, in front of him.

"I can't sit properly. I've got a skirt on."

He shrugged and started to push to broom off of the ground.

"Hang on, I'm not rea-DY!" Lily shrieked, with eyes closed, as they zoomed off into the air. It was incredibly unstable. His arms cradled her back but her skirt slide away from her, causing her to be pushed into him. It felt weird being in his arms like that while awake. Ack! She didn't care anymore and enveloped her arms around him in a last attempt to stay on the sodding broom.

"You're meant to have your eyes open."

"Stop being a git then, and slow down."

She felt his chuckle against her shoulder as they slowed down slightly. "Better?" He whispered with his head rested on hers.

Evans didn't want to open her eyes. She wanted to be in that moment with him for as long as possible.

However, eventually, she looked at the familiar surroundings of Hogwarts. Lily had always seen the charm at Hogwarts, but from the air, it was beyond beautiful. Breathtakingly so. The highland valley, that encased the castle, bled autumnal colours across the ground, with the Forbidden Forest blocking it's way with evergreen shades. The Great Lake, and the tiny greenhouses, sparkled under the November sun.

"It's pretty good, huh?" James said, quietly.

"It's—" Lily started but couldn't think of any words. Instead, she hugged him harder. "Thank you."

"Anytime, Evans." He muttered and reciprocated the embrace.

They stayed like that for some time as they floated through the sky. The creature inside Lily purred at his touch but it still ached for more. She tried to ignore the pain spreading through her chest but she couldn't, not anymore. "James," She whispered hoping he couldn't hear. "Do you—"

The broom jolted suddenly.

"What the—" James uttered and grabbed the broomstick, steering them away. "Did we hit into something?"

"We couldn't have. We aren't anywhere near the trees." Lily replied and produced her wand from her bag. "Bombarda."

The spell collided into an invisible shield and crackled around it. It wasn't a large protection spell but that didn't mean whoever, or whatever, were down on the ground weren't dangerous. Potter came to the realisation at the same time Lily did and made the broom zoom off, as fast as it could, away from the scene.

They didn't slow down until they'd crossed over the Great Lake, towards the comfort of the castle. "Does your map reach that far out?" She asked as they landed in the shade of a tree.

"It doesn't go passed the Whomping Willow."

"We've got to go back and look."

"I'd love to but—"

"I swear if you're gonna say something about protect—"

"No, it's not—"

"You don't put up a protection spell for no reason."

"I'll send Dumbledore a message."

"I can't believe this. You're just sitting on the floor like—"

"I'm not allowed in that part of the forest, Lily!" James explained as he sat down, annoyed. He rummaged in his pockets and produced a scrap of paper or tissue. "Have you got a muggle quill?"

"A pen?"

"Yeah, yeah, one of them."

Lily huffed as she looked into her bag. It wasn't easy, as she had placed an extension charm on it, but a little help from the summoning charm, the biro was in her hand. She passed it to him. "How can you not be allowed—"

"The centaurs don't like Mooney. I've tried to reason with them, because he's never done anything to hurt them, but it only made things worse."

She smiled and sat next to him. "You do get a little hotheaded."

"Ha, you should met the head centaur." Potter sighed as he waved his wand over the note. It turned itself into a little airplane before whooshing off into the air.

"So, what now? Do we just sit here?"

"I had planned a picnic but...I...It was...I think...I don't know where it is."

"How can you lose it?"

"I'd put up an invisibility spell so no one would find it."

Evans giggled at his stupidity, again. "I thought you were meant to be smart."

"I'm not when I'm around you."

A blush spread across her face as her smile matched his. "Well, this is alright just here."

"But—"

"You don't have to do anything fancy, Potter. Getting the ice cream was enough."

"But—"

"James, I already know who you are. You don't have to impress me."

He leaned in closer with a cocky smirk. "Is Evans starting to fall for me?"

She never did answer him that day.

( _Interrupted Twice_ )

Potter snook into the kitchens for dinner. Lily stayed outside on watch but, mainly, because it was breaking so many school rules. Sure, it would have been easier to go into the Great Hall to join everyone else for dinner, to see their friends, but they didn't want to. They wanted to continue spending time together.

The two of them ate in her Head Girl room for more privacy. The conversations they had were serious and stupid but they didn't halter. They never lost the smiles on their faces. They sat close enough for subtle touches here and there like gentle leans or playful brushing of fingers. There was no pressure to be anything more than what they were in that moment.

Knock. Knock.

They both stopped talking.

"We know you are in there. We heard you." Sirius' playful tone wafted through the closed door.

They both sighed, heavily. The date was over. As she stood up, followed by Potter, Lily realised she didn't want it to end. It was an odd feeling, one she'd felt before but never this intensely.

"Wait." Lily stopped James, inches away from the door. Why had she said it? She didn't know but she didn't want the door to open.

His smile softened as closed the small gap between them. James searched her eyes.

"What are you doing?" She asked, carefully watching his every move. Her body moved before her brain could protest. There was no distance between them as she pulled his hand, the one she had stopped him by, around her back.

He muttered something to her but she didn't hear. Her heart was beating too loudly.

His hand touched the back of her neck.

Knock.

"I'm gonna come in if you don't open this bloody door."

James ignored his friend but Lily couldn't. Her mind had woken up and was protesting to how close she was to him. "No, Potter, we can't."

"Can't what?"

She untwined herself from him. "We just can't."

"I don't get you sometimes, Evans."

"What do you mean?"

"Why do you care what other people think of you?"

"Why do you not care?"

"I'd rather live my true self than by other peoples expectations of who I should be."

Knock. Knock.

"This is Mooney." Remus said, muffled by the door. "Padfoot is going to break down the door."

"For Merlin sake!" She exclaimed, frustrated, and opened the door pissed off to see three smug boys. "Just come in."

"What took you so long?" Black hummed as he walked passed her and noticed the empty plates, and how close they were, on the floor. "This looks cosy. It sets a nice mood."

"Don't—"

"Hey, we're all human beings here. We've all got—"

"We did nothing like that."

"We were just kissing." James smiled, the twinkle of mischievousness in his eyes.

"No, no, no. No. We weren't. We didn't. No!" Lily stuttered.

Padfoot winked. "Sure. If it's a lie, why is your face all red?"

Evans gasped and tried to hide her face, in her hair. "I'm not—"

"You're kinda cute all shy, Love."

"Shut your mouth, Black, and get out my room. I've changed my mind. You're not welcome."

"Tough, I've already made myself comfortable."

Lily was confused by what he meant and, finally, looked up to see Sirius in her bed with the duvet wrapped around him. "Have people ever told you you are incredibly intrusive?"

"All the time. It's my best quality." Black smiled and patted the empty space next to him. "Shall we gossip and braid each other's hair?"

She shrugged. "Sure."

"What about us?" Peter asked.

Padfoot replied, instantly. "You can all fuck off."

They all laughed but Sirius was incredibly serious. After he made himself clear once more, the other three Marauders left.

"James, wait." Lily said, before the door shut on them. She had to race to the door to catch him before descending down the stairs. They stood on the step carefully. "I...er...didn't get chance to thank you for the date."

"Anytime."

"Yeah. We'll do it again sometime."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I actually liked it."

"Okay. Next time, I'll make sure it's perfect."

"Today was perfect." She smiled, sweetly, and gave him hug. Lily breathed in deeply to calm her nerves but it only intensified them. She could smell the pine trees.

Yet once again, they were interrupted by their friends. Mary's scream travelled up the stairs and tore them apart. "Oh, don't let us stop you." MacDonald squealed as she raced up the rest of the steps, followed by a eyebrow-raised Marlene.

"If you'd shut your mouth, they'd have kissed." Sirius said, through the door.

"How are you seeing what's happening?" Lily asked him.

But he didn't respond.

"Hang on." Mary hummed. "How are you up here? And Sirius? Boys can't be—"

"Okay, we'll just go inside." McKinnon ushered the confused blonde into the Head Girl's room.

The two of them were left on their own again but there was nothing left to be said. In fact, it felt awkward. Well, it did to her because twice, in a matter of minutes, had succumbed to James' charm. Potter, on the other hand, looked like his usual self.

"I'll see you in the morning, Evans." He smiled, brushing a hair from her face. "Remember to wear the scarf."

"Sure." Lily nodded, feeling a sense of disappointment with how the date ended.

"Do you want to take the slide like old times?"

A smile formed on her face as she took his hand, once again, and decided she'd never want to let go of him ever again.


	15. Kiss

**AN: Thank you for reaching this far in my little story and, to those who waited soooooo long for the last chapter, this one will be the same. I'm so sorry guys, I've had a manic summer. Whoever said internships were the answer were wrong, but on the bright side my family got a new puppy!**

 **Obviously, thank you to Sophiecassiethalia for being a constant reviewer of this fanfic and being so bloody lovely. Flavinja,** _ **girl**_ **, you are reading my mind on what's to come. Shh. Haruhi-chan131 (are you a fan of Ouran?! James is such a Tamaki) I'm so glad you get it! So many people just don't get the characters anymore - who on earth argues as much as Lily and James do in other fics?! No one!**

 **Honestly, guys, we are so nearly there!**

 **I want to thank barefootonbroadway for messaging me and I apologise for the little lie of saying it would be uploaded weeks ago. I've just had a mad couple of months. Anyone can message me - via message or anonymously. I love you guys and I'd love to get to know you all.**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling is Ramona Flowers and we are the League of Evil Exes.**

 **PS. Quidditch games are a bloody git to write so I apologise now.**

 _Chapter 15 - 'It started out with a kiss, how did it end up like this?' - The Killers_

 _(Breakfast at Dumbledore's, the next morning)_

"Sir?" Lily said, tentatively, as she pushed open the Headmaster's door.

It was quiet inside as if no one had been in for years. There was no murmurings from the portraits of old but she swore she had heard him allow her to enter.

"Professor?"

"Arh, Lily, you are earlier that I expected." His voice echoed from within his office. As she rounded herself to see his desk, she saw him tending the fresh ashes of his beloved phoenix, Fawkes. "It seems the flight to your room and back was enough."

Lily held the letter in her hand, guilty. "I'm sorry."

"No worries. He'll be back in a few." Dumbledore stated, cheerfully, as if the creature had just popped to the shops. He sat down in his chair and pointed to the seat opposite him. "I see you are well dressed for the Quidditch match."

"Yes, sir."

"Is that a new scarf?"

She tried not to roll her eyes. "No, its Potter's."

"Arh, I see. An item like that must be important to our Head Boy."

"Sir?"

"Anyway, I wanted to invite you for breakfast."

His desk was covered, from side to side, with all sorts of mouth-watering, belly-rumbling goodies. "Thank you, Professor." Lily smiled as she felt herself salivate thinking about how good the hash browns, and crumpets, looked.

"Tea?"

"No, sir, let me—"

"You are a my guest, Lily." He flicked his wrist and the tea pot began to pour piping hot liquid into two cups for them.

"Thank you." Evans nodded and sat down, picking up food from the feast.

"I wanted to talk to you."

"Is something wrong?"

"No, of course not. The last we spoke, in this room, you were having a tough time, I wanted to see if that was still the case."

"Oh." She sighed, placing her fork back onto her plate. The Death Eater's had stopped attacking muggles and, since Halloween, she had been sleeping well. "My parents write to me every other day but I still worry, you know."

"Yes I do. Our families are a huge part of our lives and it's what we do with their impact, their love, that can influence who we are."

The Head Girl nodded, understanding his point. Her family had shaped her into the person she was. They had made sure she was conscientious and kind, but was able to stick up for the little man. That was something Voldemort and his followers could never take away from her.

After a long time, Dumbledore spoke again. "I also wanted to talk to you about the note I received from Mr Potter yesterday."

"Shouldn't you be talking to him instead of me?"

"I wouldn't want him to lose his focus on the first match of the year."

"So, why me then, sir?"

"I've corespondent with enough muggles to recognise biro ink." He said with a telling look. A blushed formed on her cheeks. "And, I trust, that the two of you talk to one another about school safety."

"Of course."

"Good. This protective spell you found is nothing to worry about. Myself, Hagrid—"

"Is it to do with your Order?"

"I'm not allowed to discuss this matter with you, Lily."

"You can't just—" She started, angry, but immediately stopped. She couldn't speak to Dumbledore like that. She couldn't get mad at him for not telling her anything. "Your reassurance that it is nothing to worry about, Professor, does not help. Not getting an answer is worse than getting the truth."

"Lily—"

"Sir, I know I'm being irrational but I don't know what to think. Is the spell keeping something inside so it can't get out or is it to stop certain people getting in?" Lily questioned. "I know Remus smelled Greyback, sir."

Dumbledore's calm demeanour didn't alter when she said the werewolf's name. "How do you know about that?"

"Remus told me." She uttered quickly. It was the truth, Remus had told her, but Dumbledore didn't need to know that she was there that evening.

The Headmaster's eyes almost glittered with hilarity and condescension as he spoke. "I can honestly say Greyback isn't trapped inside the protection spell."

"But—"

"Lily, I cannot talk to you about this issue."

His tone cut her off. It was short and to the point. Her mind began to race with more questions, with more worries because she wasn't reassured by anything that he said. Was that her issue or was he lying? Was Dumbledore only speaking to her because James would have continued to push the questions? Would James just sit here?

"I think, I best be going, sir."

"Of course."

Lily stood up but remembered something. "Professor, do you have anymore news on Harriet?"

He looked over his half moon glasses confused at her question. "Have you not seen her?"

"Yes, of course. We don't have many classes together but I've seen her around the Common Room. I meant, have you managed to figure out who had cursed her?"

"Unfortunately not. Miss Green doesn't remember anything and nor does anyone seem to know what happened, or where she went, during those minutes she went out of the Gryffindor Tower."

"What about the poison? Have any potions ingredients gone missing?"

"Professor Slughorn has informed me that nothing is out of place, everything is accounted for."

Another disappointing response. "Thank you for the breakfast, sir."

"My pleasure. Would you like some tea to take with you?"

She shook her head with a smile. "I'll see you on the quidditch pitch."

"I'm not going today. I'm afraid my duties as a Headmaster calls me to be elsewhere this morning."

Dumbledore had never missed a single game since Lily had attended Hogwarts. That fact alone put her nerves on edge. Her questions hadn't been answered. Her worries had increased once more. How was she going to sleep tonight?!

Her mind began to digress into clouds of worry as she made her way down to the Quidditch pitch, with the rest of the school. Her memory was taking her there through the castle and onto the grounds.

Hufflepuff's and Gryffindor's were shouting and chanting at each other. The odd Ravenclaw would join in too. Friends had now turned into rivals. Lily couldn't hear what they were saying. She didn't care. All she wanted to do was see—

Whoosh.

Something had flown passed her head at an incredible speed. It had jolted her out of her daze as she tried to keep the bloody scarf around her neck. Her hair on the other hand, which were braided into two french plaits, had tangled themselves around each other. "What the—" She whispered until she saw the thing come back to her, like a boomerang. "Potter, what are you doing?"

James, in his red and gold kit, had a lazy smile on his face as he reclined backwards on his broom. He didn't stop until he was mere inches away from her. There is a slight edge to his voice. "Looking for you. Where have you been?"

"Worried?" Lily replied, a little flirty.

"I need my lucky charm there."

Lily pouted and tried to hide her face in his scarf. She couldn't believe that she was feeling rejected by his comment.

"Come on." He sat up and outstretched his hand. "I'll take you to Mary."

Evans couldn't help but reciprocate his smile as she takes his hand. He lowers the broom for her but, even though she isn't wearing a skirt, sits sidesaddled once more. She wants to fit perfectly between his arms. That closeness she felt yesterday still burns in her mind as something she wants forever.

They don't talk. Lily could sense there was something wrong but was too afraid to ask. Why? She had no idea.

(Gryffindor Changing Room)

"You son of a bitch!" James charged into the room.

"Who's he talking to?"

"I believe he's talking to me." Sirius smiled until he saw his best friend's face contoured with anger. "Hey, what's—"

Potter pushed him. "Don't bullshit me, Pads."

"Whoa," Marlene interfered, standing between the two of them. The rest of the team joined around them, wary of keeping the two away from each other. The youngest members were just happy to be involved. "You two were good at breakfast, what the fuck has changed?"

Potter crossed him arms, huffed and repositioned himself.

Black laughed as he pieced together the issue. "Jealous—"

"I'm not jealous."

" _Pfft_. Don't bullshit me." Sirius said. "Where else did you think I was last night?"

"I didn't know you were actually gonna stay the whole fucking night."

"How did you even find out? I doubt Evans told you."

"Hold up." Kirke interjected as he too, and the rest of the team, caught up with what was happening. "Black slept with Evans?"

Dearborn gasped, "How did you even get up to her room? Boys can't get into the girls dorms."

"Can girl's get into the boys?" Coote, the youngest member asked, innocently.

The smirk from Sirius gave away the answer.

"Do not tell them how to get up the girl's stairs." James ordered.

"Why? I thought you liked it when Evans told you off. Got you all..."

"You are pushing your luck, Black."

The two friends glared at each other. Tension was high.

Verne's quiet voice muttered to Abigail. "Did he sleep with Evans?"

"Of course I bloody didn't!" Sirius said, angrily. "And Prongs already knows that."

James agreed. "I know."

"So why you coming in here making a fucking scene if you aren't going to explain yourself! What's wrong, Prongs? Are you upset you weren't invited to stay? That I interrupted your kiss after your date? Or...or...is it because we all have our hair braided—"

Potter pulled a face as he began to redden.

Hysterical laughter exploded out of Sirius' mouth. "Oh, fuck me! You're only assumption that I stayed was...was...oh Merlin, I can't breathe...Marlene and Mary have the same braids as me too! You are an absolute idiot, mate."

"We kicked him onto the floor anyway." Marlene explains, fed up of the drama.

Black stopped and looked ashamed of her. "Couldn't you have—"

"This team works best when we all get on and our Captain hasn't got his knickers in a twist."

"I don't wear knickers." James mumbled.

"Now, shake hands."

The two best friends did.

"Everyone get ready and we'll wait for your instructions, Cap'n."

Potter nodded. As everyone went to get kitted out in protective gear, he apologised to Sirius probably.

"Face it, Prongs. You've always been jealous of my good hair." The git smiled.

No, James thought. I'm jealous of how easy you are around her. I'm jealous of how she feels comfortable around you to be herself.

The list could of continued but his team, Gryffindor, were counting on him to be the best he can be.

"Right, guys, gather up." James said as he strapped up his gloves and faced his team. He could feel the pre-match jitters start to kick in. "We are playing as our main team. Reserves watch carefully, you may get a chance to play. Hufflepuff are still not working as a team but their Beater's are going to be difficult. Rickett still feels he should have been made Captain. McKinnon, Kirke—"

Kirke responded, with a wink. "Don't worry boss, we've got it."

"Horton's new girlfriend—"

All the girls snickered.

"—will be in the crowd. His head is going to be turned if something was to happen."

Coote, again, asked a naive question. "Are we playing dirty?"

"No. We are going to play a good game of Quidditch but if we fly to close to her or the Bludger is targeted in her direction, that is just something that can accidentally happen." James explained, clearly. He never played dirty, just advantageously. "We play together and till the end."

(Gryffindor vs Hufflepuff)

The crowd roared as the two teams walked onto the pitch. The commentator, sixth year Ravenclaw Ralph Stretton, was barely audible as he introduced them all. James turned around twice, for luck, before joining the rest of Gryffindor up in the air, showing off their team formation. Hufflepuff quibbled on the ground before they parted ways.

James couldn't help but look smug as he landed next to Madam Hooch. "Good weather for Quidditch." He said as he shook the referees hand.

"Potter." Hooch nodded. Turned to Horton and did the same.

The Gryffindor Captain extended his hand towards Horton. "May the best team win, Gordy."

"We intend to." Was all the Hufflepuff said before departing on his broom.

" _What?! Did you guys see that?!_ " Ralph's voice uttered on the speakers. Everyone else had seen the unsportsmanlike attitude Horton had shown. " _Boo! You suck Gordy!_ "

" _Stretton_!"

" _Professor McGonagall, I'm just reporting the_ —" The Commentator sighed. " _Fine. My fellow classmates will boo for me!_ "

And with that, a chorus of angry noises spread across the pitch. It wasn't the first time a Quidditch game had started like that with Stretton as commentator. He always had something to heckle about.

James smiled to Hooch.

"I expect a clean game, Potter."

"I _always_ follow the rules." He winked before taking off.

James flew around the pitch one more time, checking his team were in their correct positions, as Madam Hooch let out the Bludger and the Snitch. He couldn't help but notice Lily in the stands, cheering him on, with a huge smile on her face. It was contagious. It was all the motivation he needed.

" _The captain and head Chaser for the Gryffindor Team, James Potter, is taking his time to get to the centre of the pitch._ " Stretton laughed through the mic. " _Appleby, one of the sore losers that missed out on being Hufflepuff's Captain, awaits for him to get into position."_

"Appleby." James acknowledged as he stopped in front of the glaring seventh year. "What? Still not forgiven me for turning your hair red and gold?"

"Don't act like you don't spy on—"

The whistle blew. James had been ready, grabbed the Quaffle and sped to the Hufflepuff goal before Appleby could finish his sentence.

" _Whoa, Potter's left them all behind. Has he got a new broom this year? I don't think we've ever seen Potter like this before. The speed, the weaving, the...ten points to Gryffindor within the first thirty seconds of the match. Incredible. Can Hufflepuff keep up with this speed?_ "

Stretton's question was answered immediately as Gordon threw the Quaffle back into play, into the hands of Appleby, as speedily as James had been at the start.

" _And...Black saves the advanced attempt by Bones. I don't think I've ever seen such a quick return from...Potter has caught the ball back from his best mate and passed it to King._

 _"Kingy has zoomed ahead without back up. Potter and Dearborn are keeping the Hufflepuff chaser's back - they don't want to give away a penalty away this early. What are Gryffindor doing? What tactic—Hooch! Foul! Smith has caught the back of Dearborn's broom. Blagging! Blagging!"_

Hooch had already blown her whistle, stopping the game.

" _King has come back to pass Potter the ball. We all know he can get it passed Gordy._ "

James took the ball but gave it back, with a little whisper of advice. "Horton never goes to the right."

" _Well, isn't this a first. Glory-Hungry-Potter letting someone else take a penalty shot. No pressure, Kingy!"_

There was no pressure. Richard King performed a perfect penalty and so did Dearborn, nearly five minutes later.

Hufflepuff were giving away penalty after penalty with all the fouls. If the Beaters and Chasers could work together, Hufflepuff would have been a difficult team.

After the hundredth point by Gryffindor, and zero to Hufflepuff, Stretton commented. " _Hufflepuff must be counting on their new Seeker, fifth year prefect Sylvia Jones, to win them the game. Neither Seeker has yet spotted the Snitch. How many more points can Gryffindor score before then?"_

The answer was thirty more points before Sage dove towards the far edge of the pitch. Stretton was quick to notice as well but James continued to play his game. He had to score three more goals to know Gryffindor would be safe.

" _Kelleen and Jones are side by side as they weave between their fellow players, and out of the pitch. They are heading to the Forbidden Forest!_ " Ralph proclaimed.

James tackled the Quaffle out of Appleby's arm.

" _Potter has the Quaffle back and is heading towards...he's turned around. He's heading towards his own goal. Is he stopping to have a chat with Black? McKinnon has joined too. Is this allowed? Are they able to have a tactics meeting without calling timeout? Unbelievable! Only Potter could pull this stunt. Why is Hufflepuff not doing anything? Are they even playing anymore?"_

(And the winner is...)

"Urgh, how long will this go on for?"

"You know it's until the Seeker comes back with the Snitch."

"Aren't we winning?"

"Hufflepuff have just scored twice."

"So...that means you can chip your nail varnish like Emmy?"

Lily rolled her eyes and took her hands away from her mouth. "Mary, if Hufflepuff get the Snitch, we've lost."

"They all know it." Remus mutters, watching intently. "Padfoot won't let them score again."

"The first one was Potter's fault. He shouldn't have had a bloody strategy meeting by the goal posts."

"What's twenty points?"

Evans huffed but soon stood up in joy as James scored another goal.

"Told you." Lupin whispered with a smirk. "Prongs has got this."

Another Gryffindor goal. And another one.

"Hufflepuff need to score one more to get..." Stretton began. "What's that over there? Someone is...The Seeker's are coming back! One of them is cheering. Someone's got the Snitch. Can anyone see who?"

Madam Hooch blew her whistle as she too noticed the two figures flying towards the pitch.

No one made a noise. Anticipation heavily filled the air like a rain cloud. Lily watched as James, and the rest of the Gryffindor team, huddled in the air. She couldn't tell what he was...

"Is that Jones? It is! Hufflpuff have...No. Gryffindor have won!"

Lily jumped up and down, with the rest of her House, as they all celebrated their teams win. "He did it...They did it!" She laughed, hugging Mary. "Come on."

MacDonald followed but was confused. "Why are you acting like this?"

She shrugged. "It's our last year, Mary!"

"Hmm." The blonde girl looked at her friend suspiciously.

Every Gryffindor rushed down onto the pitch as if the team had just won the House cup. Students who never spoke to each other, or even knew one another, started to discuss the game as they all waited to congratulate the team.

The only person who wasn't cheering was Marlene. She was standing alone, holding her broom like it was her lifeline. "What's a matter, McKinnon?" Mary asked, jokingly.

"I failed the team." The Beater slums. "I did nothing."

"Yes you did, you were—" Lily began.

"I wasn't mentioned once by Stretton! That means I did fuck all."

"Ralph was too busy telling everyone how shit Gordon was...is...He didn't mention Kirke either."

Marlene grumbled. "Horton is shit."

"Exactly." Evans smiled, which caused the blonde to form a little twitch of the mouth. "There she is. Come on, let's celebrate winning. I'm surprised we haven't ran into Blac—"

" _Love_!" Sirius shouted as he pushed his way to her, picked her up in a bear hug and swung her around. "Wasn't I the best?"

"Er, you let in a few goals—"

"That was Prongs' bloody fault, the git. Who has a meeting at the goal post?"

"That's exactly what I said."

Black smirked and looked over her head. She followed his gaze to see a smug Potter. Her heart fluttered at his wind swept hair, the arrogance in his eyes and the ease of the smile on his face. She could feel herself become increasingly nervous as she awaited to speak to him.

"You got a problem with my tactics, Evans?"

"They could of cost us the game." Lily stated as she faced him.

The twinkle in his eye was hypnotic. She could feel herself being swept up in them and forgetting where she was. It was just the two of them to her. "Were you doubting my skills?"

"Of course—"

He gasped, playfully. "While wearing my _lucky_ scarf?"

"You, Potter," Evans pointed, prodding him in the chest, "make up your own luc—"

She was cut off.

James had caught her hand in his just before she touched him again, startling her. His expression was different. Had she seen it before? Possibly, but never this intense.

For a moment, Lily thought maybe she had gone too far and made him angry, but before she could ponder, he pulled the scarf towards him and covered her mouth with his in a hungry kiss. Her heart jumped into her throat as she stumbled into him. His mouth was so warm, the caress of his lips softer than she could have imagined.

She could feel him pull away and, to her own surprise, she continued the kiss with the same amount of intensity.

Once her heart began to beat again, her whole body woke up. What was she doing?! Suddenly, she pushed herself away as if she'd been burned.

"I'm—" James began, in a strangled, startled voice.

"No, I—" Lily stuttered. She wasn't sure on how to react. Her inside's felt tingly and hurt so much that it was painful to keep looking at him. She looked behind herself and pointed over her shoulder. "I better—castle—I—"

"Me too. I—"

The two of them quickly went their separate ways wondering if the other's heart was beating as fast as their own. All Lily knew was that something had awoken in her. Something she could never shake, or ignore, anymore.

(James)

"Way to go, mate!" Sirius said as he slammed the Gryffindor Quidditch changing room door open. He had ran after his best friend as soon as he found Marlene to tell her what had happened. "Win a game. Kiss a girl you've been crushing on for like ever. Why stop—Prongs?"

"Potter?" Marlene asked as they couldn't see him.

But he was there. James was hiding in the shadows in a slumped sitting position, with his head slumped between his shoulders. He was trying to calm his heart rate down, by breathing in and out slowly, but nothing was going to stop it. He couldn't forget that kiss.

"What's wro—"

"I've fucked up." He whispered.

"How?" Black asked, a little baffled.

"I kissed her, Pads! I just did it without even thinking about it. What does that say to her or about me? I...I can't take it back or...Oh Merlin, nothing can go back to what it was bef—Where's Remus? Peter?"

"Wormtail doesn't know and Mooney went after Lily."

"Went after?"

"Yeah, you both ran off."

James looked up, eyes clouded with worry. "She ran away?!"

"Sirius, you are no bloody help. Go sit over there and shut your bloody mouth." Marlene ordered and pointed to the furthest corner of the room.

"But that's not the problem. He didn't even know she'd ran."

"What do you mean?"

"I saw it. I know James noticed it." Black smiled. "I'd bet all the money in Gringotts, that its all because she kissed him back."

"She kissed you back?!" McKinnon wailed, looking back and forth between the two guys.

Potter couldn't hold back the smile anymore. It felt like it stretched across his face, from his ear to ear.

"That's more like it." Padfoot clapped his hands and sat down next to his best friend. "Why is her kissing you back something to worry about?"

"I can't be the person she wants me to be. What...What if she does actually like me, mate? "

Neither of them wanted to correct him. It was clear that Lily had feelings for him.

McKinnon reassured Potter. "If she likes you, it's because of who you are. She wouldn't want to change you. Evans isn't like that. Merlin, she could think she's not right for you."

"But she's perfect. Why would she—"

Sirius murmured. "Go and tell her that."

"No, don't do that." Marlene interjected.

"What?! Why not?"

"Evans isn't ready for that."

"When will she be, Mar?"

"I'll give you a heads up." The blonde shrugged. "Now, come on, stop worrying. We've got a party to sort out."

(Lily)

 _Fuck_. She thought as she slammed her bedroom door shut.

Breathing was hard, it still hurt. Lily felt like she was drowning with all these—

"Evans! Open up!" Mary's voice seeped through the door, followed by loud repetitive knocks. The door knob jostled.

Lily closed her eyes knowing she would have to face Mary at some point. "It's not locked." She shouted and went over to her bed. She wanted to hug something, a pillow would do.

MacDonald crashed through the door like a hurricane. But it wasn't her who spoke first. "What the hell happened—" Emmeline Vance began before Lily cut her off.

"Remus?" She stated as she saw him come through the door. "Did either of you see how he got up here?"

The two girls shrugged, not caring.

"Before either of you ask or say anything, I want you two to make up."

"That's not important right now." Mary brushed off.

"It is to me. I want my friends to be friends again. Emmy can explain—"

"I don't need to know why she spelled me in the back. She did. End of."

"But if you knew why—"

"Not everything can be worked out with an explanation."

"That's what your expecting me to do."

The blonde huffed and crossed her arms. A temper tantrum was brewing. "Vance, you have thirty seconds."

Emmeline looked confused. "I don't think I can say everything in—"

"Twenty five seconds."

"Ok, okay." But no words proceed to follow.

"Time's ticking—"

"I know but I can't explain it, Mary. It just gradually happened from last year."

"Last year?! I thought—why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I knew you'd act like this." Vance stated, tense. "I didn't mean for it to happen. I turned him down for you, twice, but I couldn't ignore my feelings, Mary. I'm sorry but I couldn't."

"It just—He asked you out twice?! I didn't even think you knew him."

"Yeah, well, being the quiet one of our group, _people_ can think I don't make friends outside Gryffindor House."

"Clearly you do." Mary smiled and almost went in for a hug, but soon stopped herself. "I'd say we've made up, wouldn't you, Em?"

Vance nodded. They both turned to look at the redhead, on her bed, with hungry eyes.

"Hang on." Lily said, backtracking.

"What was the rush up here for, Evans?" MacDonald asked in her insinuating voice. "Did it have anything to do with our Captain?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"Lies."

"You two looked awfully close." Emmy commented.

Lily couldn't figure out if they had actually seen the kiss so went with hoping they hadn't. "It was a celebratory hug, like I gave to the rest of the team and Black."

Remus raised his eyebrows.

"Urgh, you are so bloody annoying." Mary groaned. "Why are you not telling us how you feel?"

"There isn't anything to say. We hugged. Big deal."

The blonde stomped her foot before walking out of the room. She had thankfully not seen the kiss.

Emmeline looked back at the Head Girl. "I'm gonna go see if she's alright."

Once her two girl friends left, Lily felt a huge amount of weight lift off of her shoulders. She leaned further back into her bed, hoping it would eat her, and closed her eyes before acknowledging Lupin. "You must think I'm the worst."

"For what?" She heard his chuckle.

"For not telling my friends the truth."

The bed sank down by her feet. His hand rested on her shin. "It was only me and Sirius that saw...Maybe Pete."

She scoffed. "And the rest of Gryffindor."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Yes but I don't know how to. What am I meant to say? Argh, what am I meant to say to him?"

Everything began to hurt again as she thought of James...and _that kiss_.

"I won't tell him."

She looked at him. "You promise?"

He smiled and drew a cross over his heart, a muggle thing she had taught him. "We can do the Unbreakable Vow, if you want."

"No, I trust you. But I don't know what to tell you. We kissed."

"How do you feel about it, though?"

"I can't figure out if something inside of me is fixing itself or breaking apart. It just really hurts."

"Like butterflies?"

Lily shook her head. "Stronger."

"Okay." Remus hummed, thinking things over, before outstretching his hand. "Give me your hand."

"Why?" She did anyway.

"I know you held Prongs' hand when he was in the Hospital Wing. Hold mine like you have with him."

She did. They entwined their fingers together, which was a little bit weird with her friend. She even brushed her thumb over his.

"What do you feel?"

"No offence, but nothing."

"So what does that mean?"

"That I feel something for—" Lily began before realising what she was about to say, about to admit. Her eyes widened. She let go of Remus' hand and pushed herself away. "No, no, no!"

"Lily—"

"Remus, no. I can't—"

"Why not?"

"He's...arrogant, stupid, a...git—It can't be possible."

"What about your _Amortentia_?"

Her eyes widened in horror. "It's wrong, it's got to be. I'm not in love with P...him...It could be Emmy's - Professor Slughorn must have swapped the names over when mine went wrong - you know how the Professor is..."

"What is James to you?"

"He's my..." Words stumped her. There wasn't one to describe how she felt towards him or could describe their relationship.

 _Knock. Knock Knock...Knock._

Remus sighed before shouting. "That is not the bloody knock, Wormtail."

Peter let himself in. "Does it matter?! I've bought the broom."

"Where?"

Pettigrew reached into his trouser pocket and produced a inconspicuous little box. "Here." He said, smiling like a child.

"Thanks, Pete." Lily smiled as she took the transfigured broom and placed it on her chest-of-draws, among her other paraphernalia. "How did you manage to get it?"

"It was really easy. He just left it on the pitch after he kiss—"

"Wormtail, can you give—" Remus began.

"I think we've covered everything." Lily said, abruptly.

"Okay. I'll see you down in the Common Room for the party."

"What about dinner?"

"I was going to make sure to keep James away."

She laughed. "Thank you."

"Oh," Lupin suddenly thought as he was about to leave. "If you don't know how you feel, you can't be leading James on anymore."

"Lead him on? How am I doing it now?"

"He's got to stop sleeping up here."

Her face reddened.

"Please don't hurt my friend, Evans."

(Gryffindor Party on the Stairs)

Twice she had heard that phrase from Potter's friends. All she needed now was for Peter to yell it to her in Herbology, or something, and she had the full bloody set. But what did they mean?

 _How am I hurting him?_

She'd thought about what that meant every time she breathed in. The only time she stopped worrying was when she saw him again. It all disappeared at the sight of his arrogant grin.

"Is the party too boring for Miss Evans?" James said, with a smirk plastered on his face and a drink in his hand, as he leant across the stone bannister.

She was currently sitting at the bottom of the staircase leading up to the girl's dormitory. "I'm doing my Head Girl duty by keeping all the raging hormones out of the bedrooms."

"Do you know they are just going up the boy's stairs?"

"Oh, I know. They are not being quiet about it but that's not my problem."

He laughed and sat down beside her. There was hardly any room for one let alone two. The closeness startled her. It was definitely not butterflies in her stomach, it felt like a swarm of bees.

"What are you doing?" She protested, nudging him in the ribs.

"Don't worry, it's only by the third step up the staircase—"

"I don't mean that. Go and enjoy your victory, Potter."

He shrugged. "I'm sure there will be more."

"Er, Hufflepuff is the easiest team to beat and we barely did that." She scoffed. "Why did you even go to Sirius?"

"Instilling fake confidence in the opponent—"

"Bullshit."

"Excuse me, who is the Quidditch Captain here?" James nudged, with a grin. "Appleby and Rickett have the biggest egos in the whole school—"

"Bigger than yours? Impossible."

His smile didn't falter. "I'm not gonna lie, it was a risky move with the Snitch being out of the pitch but tactics are tactics."

"Mmmm."

They lulled into silence for a while. Lily was surprised there wasn't any awkwardness between them. It was as if just sitting together they had apologised to each other for that kiss... _that kiss..._

"So," Potter said, after some time. "Are you going to tell me what Dumbledore wanted?"

She sighed as she remembered the morning's breakfast. "He just wanted to tell me he had received your note and that it's nothing to worry about."

"Dumbledore knew about the protection spell in the forest, then?"

"I couldn't tell but when I asked if it was to do with the Order, he said he couldn't discuss it." Lily whispered, bending her head to cover her mouth with her hair. "I also asked if Greyback was trapped in there but assured me he isn't."

"It sounds like he knows what's in there."

"Do we trust—"

"Are you doubting—"

"I don't know anymore, James. He tells, or doesn't tell us, all these things to somehow help us feel more safe but I don't. When we first had the Head meeting with him, like the second day into the school year, he said he would tell us protocol for if something happens but he hasn't. How are we meant to be safe if we don't know anything?"

"Dumbledore wouldn't do anything to harm us."

"How can you be so sure about that?"

"Because he's on the same side we are."

She sighed. "It's just...There are loads of unanswered questions piling up and I don't know what to think anymore."

James moved his arm and placed it around her shoulder. She leant into his body, smelling those damn pine trees. "There is one thing we could do."

"What?"

"Go and look—"

"That's breaking rules—"

He chuckled. She felt him rest his head on hers. "You, Evans, are ridiculous."

"I'd like to not be expelled, thank you."

"Did he say you couldn't go and check it for yourself?"

"No but—"

"So, we could then."

Lily smiled. "James Potter, always trying to find a loophole."

"Well, if it will stop your from worrying so much, we've got to work together to figure things out."

"We?"

"We're a team now. Head Boy and Head Girl."

She couldn't help but feel disappointed in that. Was she hoping that a team meant more than their responsibilities? Did James—

A giggling fourth and fifth year disrupted her train of thought. Embarrassment crossed with guilt spread across their faces as they saw the two seventh years blocking the staircase they were looking to go up. Lily was about to tell them off but James pointed them in the 'right' direction.

"You want the boy's staircase." He said.

They ran in the opposite direction before Lily could say anything to stop them.

She sighed, heavily, as she tried to calm her heart down for she knew she was going to have to try something.

James, somehow, noticed and asked. "You alright, Evans?"

"Yeah, I'm just thinking."

"You can share anything with me. I'll always be here to listen."

Why do you have to say such things? She thought, closing her eyes plucking up her courage. As soon as she was about to call it off, James took her hand in his. Immediately, her heart was thumping in her chest like it was trying to get out with a sledgehammer. It hurt more than before. That kiss had done something to her...that kiss...

"You can—"

"I know." Lily muttered, hoping her voice wasn't letting out her emotions. "It was nothing serious, Potter. I was just enjoying being here. It's nice."

"Good. Does that mean you aren't going to try to run away again?"

"It looks like you're stuck with me for a little while longer."

"I wouldn't want it any other way."

A shy smile appeared on her face. "I'm kinda glad I came to this school."

"Do you think we'd have met if you hadn't?"

"I don't believe in much but I know certain people are meant to cross each other's paths." Lily said. She moved her head and looked up at him. His hazel eyes were hypnotic once more. "I think you would have crashed into my life somehow."

James smiled his cocky grin. "Oh, yeah."

No words escaped for a response. She was tongue tied. How was she supposed to say anything when she already gave everything away? It was in that moment, she saw him for who he was and she hated him for it. She knew, then and there, she would never be able to shake her feelings for him.

"What's a matter, Evans? You haven't fallen for me already, have you?"

She really did hate him.


	16. Requirements

**AN: Bonjour! Again, another long wait but life continues. I'd like the thanks speedsONEandONLY for reviewing the last chapter, and how it was like a poetic verse. I hope everyone else liked it.**

 **I'd like to comment on Sophia. She has become a character I much enjoy writing because I love how she talks, in my head, in a 'Jane Austen' type manner. Everything's so breezy and soft. I feel like she's got a Lydia-ness to her voice, when she's married to Wickham in the 2004 film.**

 **As you can tell from the disclaimer, and how old the meme is I'm referenced, to when I actually started this bloody chapter. Sorry guys. For the next one, I'm going to get back into the habit of uploading once a month, like I used to, but I've been busy with work and trying to set up an etsy account w/ HP pieces. Again, sorry!**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling is a light and we are moths.**

 _Chapter 16 - "Life is too short..." - Young the Giant_

 _(Late)_

The morning light woke her up that late November morning. It peaked through her half closed curtains warming her face, and Potter's, with gold. Her head lay in the nook of his arm and chest, a place it found itself in quite often these days, with her hand gentle resting on his bare chest. She moved slightly and found herself looking at this sleeping face. He hadn't even taken off his glasses. They were blinding her, the sun was hitting them—

 _Wait a minute_. She thought, all of a sudden, and rushed to get out of her bed. _Sun? What's the time?!_

"Evans." James yawned, wiped his eyes and fixed his glasses before sighing. "Come back to bed."

"Did you turn off my alarm clock, again?" Lily asked, as she stomped over to his side of the bed.

"You didn't hear it."

It wasn't there. Nor was it on the floor nearby. "Where did you throw it _this_ time?"

He shrugged with a cocky smile. She hated how comfortable he had made himself but she hated herself even more for being that girl that wears a boys top for her pyjamas.

"This isn't funny, Potter. I'm not going to be late because of you."

"Professor Slughorn didn't care yesterday, or the day before that, or the day before—"

"I'm not on about class."

"I'm sure Mooney—"

"What time did you even let yourself in?" She asked, angrily as she picked up her uniform from her desk chair, giving up on the venture of finding that damn clock.

"I don't know, Evans."

"Guess."

"Erm...six-ish."

" _Six_?! Shit!" The Head Girl muttered before racing to the bathroom.

"Lily, come on, what are you doing?"

"I'm getting ready to see my friend in the Hospital Wing, like I promised."

"You don't have to get changed in the bath—"

She shook her head and opened the door. "We're not in a relationship, you per—"

"We might as well be."

Their relationship for the last two weeks, since the kiss incident, had changed. Lily couldn't deny that but her brain didn't want to except anything yet. She sure as hell didn't want to think about being in a romantic...even the thought of it made her feel sick with nerves.

Evans spoke, hoping her voice didn't give away her emotions. "When I come back out, you need to be gone."

She shut the door quickly and rested upon it. Her heart had stopped. So had her breathing. He always made her feel like a deer caught in headlights. Even when he wasn't there, she was thinking about him, taunting her. Lily cursed to herself as she got ready. What had she become? No. There was something worse. It hit her as she saw his Gryffindor t-shirt lying on the floor - his surname was written on the back, along with his number. Who had she become?

It didn't take her long to get dressed. Ten minutes, tops. But she found herself, like she often did these days, looking at herself in the mirror checking her hair wasn't all over the place, or she was applying a more fuller coverage of makeup.

" _We might as well be._ " Played over and over in her mind. Why did he have to say such things?

Breathe in. Breathe out. She found her nerves had reached the highest level possible as she opened the bathroom door. Lily was ready to argue with James once more, or worse a flirtatious response from him, but she found he wasn't there.

Even more odd, her room had been cleaned. Everything was put away in draws, her bed was made and...the clock! He'd put it back in it's place.

As she got closer, her stomach sank deeper and deeper. "Potter!" She shouted, grabbing her school bag. She wasn't just late for Remus, she was late for her first lesson: Defence Against the Dark Arts.

It was a mad dash to her lesson. She'd never been five minutes late to anything in her life. Merlin, she felt ill.

Lily reached the classroom in such a bluster she forgot to knock. Everyone turned over their shoulders to stare at her. She smiled, shyly.

"Miss Evans, so nice of you to join us." Professor Scamander said with a tone of sarcasm.

"Sorry sir."

"No worries, Mr Potter told me." Her eyes widened. "Make sure you keep Head duties to time."

Relief flooded over her, even if it was lie. "Oh, yes, sir."

"Take a seat next to Miss Dippet."

"Oh, Lily." Sophia sang, quietly, as the Gryffindor sat down next to her. "You do look all of a—"

"When did Potter get in?"

"He was on time. He had a chance to speak to Sirius, who's pissed off at something."

"Black's pissed off?"

"Yes. He was alright at breakfast but, since he's come back from seeing Remus, he's in one of his moods." The blonde rolled her eyes. "You know how he gets, Lily."

Evans smiled. "I'm sure it will sort itself out."

"Oh, I hope so. If you get the chance, can you talk to him?"

"You want me to—"

"Yes, why not?."

Lily was shocked. Had Dippet's jealousy disappeared? "I'll talk to him."

"Can you do it at lunch?" The Ravenclaw asked. "I was hoping that we'd go to Herbology at break to get some cuttings from our plants."

"I've got to talk to Abbott and Abasi first."

Her voice became quieter, her eyes full of excitement. Their had been a quiet hum, a murmur, since the last time they tried to work on the mirrors. No one, but herself and Potter, knew of the next plan of campaign and it was driving everyone mad with anticipation. "Is it about a meeting?"

Evans nodded.

"I can tell them for you."

"You would. Why?"

"To be nice." She smiled. "What do you want me to say?"

"We need all Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws to be in their Common Rooms at seven tonight. I'll tell them the rest of the instructions through the mirrors later."

"You know Omar will be itching with questions."

"It wouldn't surprise me if he didn't have a long written out list of them."

They both snickered.

Sometime passed. Five minutes, maybe less, before Sophia said. "I hope you don't find me intrusive, Lily, but I've heard...somethings about you."

"Me?"

"Yes. It's about you and James."

Evans stopped breathing.

"After your team won, apparently, there was a kiss between the two of you."

News had finally gotten to Dippet, the Queen of all gossip and knowings on at Hogwarts. It was quite surprising that it had taken a fortnight to get to her - maybe because every girl was looking for the allusive Trevor Davis, who Myrtle had been swooning about - but still, it was something Lily wished no one to know.

Had Mary found out too? If so, why hadn't she said anything?

"I'm only asking because I wouldn't want that type of rumour to spread about me if it's false."

"Well, of course it is." The redhead lied. "I would _never_ kiss Potter."

"That's what I thought. I told Lucinda—"

"Chambers told you?"

"Yeah, she was telling Alana to get over herself."

"McLaird knew too?"

"Knew?" Sophia eyebrows arched. "So it is true?"

Lily's cheeks reddened. She was busted. "It was an accident—it hasn't—it—nothing has happened since. It was a one time thing."

"Oh. You're not together then?"

"Merlin, no. Are people saying we are?"

"Not exactly."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lily could feel herself getting angry and on the defensive. Did Potter know about all this? Was he instigating it? The git.

"They think you have more of a friends with...er...benefits type—"

Evans crumbled onto her desk and refused to listen to the rest of what Dippet had to say. She was starting to hate mornings.

(Like...20 questions)

"Remus." Lily ran into the Hospital Wing, all of a bluster. In her arms she carried a tray of food from the Great Hall, with a variety of sweet and savoury. A jug of pumpkin juice was stashed in her bag. "I'm so sorry about—"

"You should be." Sirius spoke first. His arms were crossed and his eyes glared. Right, the mood. She hadn't had chance to speak to him.

"Don't listen to him, Lil." Remus smiled.

"No, listen to me. You, Evans, made a promise—"

"And I fully intended to keep it but Potter—" Lily interjected.

"So he's Potter now?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'd say you're too familiar with each other to be—"

Lily's face reddened. "That's not...Nothing like that has happened—"

"Pads, let her explain." Mooney reasoned, placing his bandaged hand on his friends arm. "You are making more drama out of it than there needs to be."

"Me? Drama?" Black pffted.

Remus gave him a look.

"Fine. Evans, you better explain yourself."

"I had set my alarm, like I always do, but it got turned off by Potter." Lily explained, blustering. "So...so, so really it's his fault."

"Nope. ' _Like I always do_ ' is bullshit at this point." Black laughed, out of astonishment. "Lily Evans _always_ used to sit the furthest away from Prongs, Lily Evans _always_ used to complain about him twenty four seven, Lily Evans _used to_ lock her door—"

She was about to defend herself but Sirius was on a role.

"— _Love_ , you used to do loads of things you don't do anymore. Maybe, just maybe, you didn't set your alarm."

"Don't talk to me like I'm a child."

"A child would know how they feel."

"I know—"

"I don't think so."

"U-huh."

"N-huh."

"U—"

Remus sighed. "What does James mean to you?"

"I—I can't believe this." Lily stuttered. "Why do you two have to ask me this every bloody time? Why do you have to label something?"

"Because you are playing with our friends—"

"I know."

"Oh, she knows!" Black exclaimed. "I knew this was all bullshit. You know how you feel, you just don't want to say it out loud."

Lupin was calmer. "Why don't you want to tell us?"

Evans finally understood what Marlene had meant. "Making it real will..." She began to recite her friend as she slumped down into a chair. Of course, she knew how she felt. She'd felt it, seen it, progress. How could she not? But to admit it to others, when she was just barely admitting it to herself, was impossible to do. There was too much uncertainty in her life, and in her future, that she didn't want to bring any type of relationship into it.

" _Love_?" Padfoot asked, concern filled his voice. "It's alright."

"You've changed your bloody tone."

"I maybe a dick but I'm not that much of one."

She cracked a smile. "You're just looking out for your friend."

"You're our friend too, Lils." Remus muttered. "I think we got caught up in worrying about Prongs, we forgot to think about you."

"Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself."

"We know."

Sirius said. "We just get frustrated that you don't tell us anything."

Lily pouted. "I don't have to tell you anything if I don't want to."

"If you ' _know_ ' how you feel, why won't you tell us? We ain't gonna tell him."

They wouldn't understand. No one would. Well, maybe Marlene. "If I...You need to understand..." She shrugged and sighed, heavily. "I'm scared."

"Scared?"

"If myself and Potter were to...I don't think I can...we're from two different lives, two different...he could...because of me and I don't think I could survive knowing I had..."

All her worries, her anxieties, spilled out in mix-match sentences. Her new emotions towards Potter weren't the issue - she could work through them - but her uncertainty and her prolonged fear of the future was something else. Something she needed to figure out quickly.

(Kneazles)

"How'd you managed to get Hagrid to help you?"

Wormtail laughed. "Are you sure your alright?"

"Huh?"

"It's Hagrid, anything involving magical creatures and he's—"

"Oh, right, yeah. Hagrid."

"Prongs, what the hell is up with you today? You've been like this since this morning."

"Just tired, mate." He yawned, involuntarily.

Peter gave him a look.

The two of them were on their way to Hagrid's hut during the lunch break. James didn't have to be there but Lily's words of distrust in Dumbledore had stuck with him. Wormtail had already gone to investigate the protection spell - he's the only one that gets undetected from the centaurs - to no prevail. To Peter, there was nothing. Why would you protect nothing?

The only solution James could think of, that morning when he heard of Peter's plans for lunch, was to follow and question the only person the Headmaster would trust, a person who would also give away a clue. Was Potter going to Hagrid's to prove Lily wrong, or to settle his own festering doubts?

Knock. Knock.

Loud footsteps plodded from the other side of the door.

"Peter. An' James!" Hagrid bellowed with a smile as he saw the two seventh years. "Come in. Mind where yeh step. Can I yeh summat? Tea? Chocolate?"

"No, thanks. It's Remus that likes chocolate." Peter said, squeezing past the half-giant.

Potter followed. He hadn't spent much time in Hagrid's hut - he never needed to - but he didn't remember it looking the an erumpent had ran through it. "What's happened in here?"

"I've jus' bin the Forest. The centaurs are goin' mad—"

"Mad?"

"They ain't the 'appiest o' creatures, at the bes' of times, but with the tests happenin' in their part of the Forest, they are movin' closer to the castle."

James had hit the jackpot. "What kind of tests?"

"Yeh know, the Order are—" Hagrid stopped. His eyes wide with realisation of what he'd done. "Yeh heard nothin' from me, Potter."

Potter knew there would be no more luck in getting information yet he had to try. He'd have to tell Lily about it later. "But—"

The half-giants tone changed. "Did yeh jus' come down 'ere to get information outta—"

"How are the kittens doing?" Peter interjected, quickly.

But it went straight back to normal as soon as the creatures were mentioned. "Not great. The mother isn't much o' one. I'm havin' to feed them meself."

"Where is she?" Panic filled Wormtail's voice. "She's the one I'm meant to be looking after, Hagrid."

"She's gone huntin'. You knew she 's a wild card. Kneazle's don't normally get pregnant by a school cat."

"Do you know who's cat it is?" James asked, naively, before seeing the litter. Seven red fluff balls were all curled up in a corner of a box; full of blankets, newspaper and food. They looked larger than he had thought they'd be for just two weeks old. One, however, was the smallest of them all and pushed away to the side.

"How many ginger cats do you know?" Peter scoffed his rhetorical question.

"Why's that one on it's own?"

Hagrid sniffed. "The poor thin'."

James looked up the half-giant wiping away tears from his eyes with a pillow case. "It's been rejected?"

"He's the runt." The big guy sobbed. "It's only natural but I can't jus' let 'im go. With a little love and affection the lil guy could be the best outta of 'em."

"He gets like this every time I come over." Peter whispered.

James replied as quietly. "What's he gonna be like when they have the leave?"

He stayed silent.

"Wormtail, you can't keep them all. The Ministry—"

"Don't even know they exist. And I know...I know. The problem is they can't go back with the Kneazle's because they won't accept them."

"What's Kettleburn said?"

Pettigrew scoffed. "That old git's already told Dumbledore, so I don't even know what's been decided."

In that moment, Potter was kind of glad he didn't continue on with Care of Magical Creature's to N.E.W.T level. But he also came up with a brilliant idea.

"What if I take one? You could say one died or something."

"You would?!"

"Yeh would?!" Hagrid piped up as snot dripped down from his nose. A huge grin spread across his face as he pointed towards the little kittens. "That one there, Floss, is very calm...no, no, Empledink would be better for yeh, he's full o' beans or...or...she has the best lil' face—"

"I think I'll go for the littlest guy."

Peter looked at him funny. "Why?"

James smiled as he tickled the kitten behind the ear. It purred. "If you want this cat to have the best chance in life, I know the perfect person to look after him."

(Room of Requirements)

Gryffindor were ready. Lily had gone over the plan with Remus and Sirius, after she'd calmed herself down, at lunch. She just hoped they would be able to pull if off smoothly. She needed a plan to work for once. What kind of Head Girl was she if it didn't?

James was waiting for her at the allocated hallway. He was sitting down with his back against a wall. One of her muggle pens tapped against his mouth as his faraway expression looked down at a piece of parchment. Her footsteps jolted him out of his haze, and his face lit up with an expression that made her melt inside. "Evans, thank Merlin you're here, I'm trying to write a letter to my parents. How does this sound? _Dear Mother_ —"

"Mother?" She laughed. "Are you trying to make it impersonal?"

"Damn it. I need it to be harsher—"

"What the bloody hell has she done?"

He cursed and bashed his head against the wall. Lily sat down next to him, carefully watching and listening as James told her about what Hagrid had spilt. "You see, she has been withholding information from me—"

"You know she can't tell you about it."

"They are doing tests, Lily, on school grounds like it's nothing. Wouldn't you like to know what's going on?"

"Of course I would but at least we know its part of _our_ fight. We've got to trust them—"

"You were the one who got doubtful about Dumbledore."

"I still am but I've got to believe he, and his Order, are protecting us, and we've got to get ourselves prepared for when they can't." Lily said, hopefully reassuringly. "Dumbledore has already said we can't join in so we'll wait and protect every student in here to prove him wrong."

"Do you have to be right all the time?"

"You just happen to be wrong _all_ the time."

"Hmm, I'm pretty sure I'm right about one thing."

"And what's that?"

He lent forward to whisper, barely containing his excitement. She felt his breath on her cheeks, a slight caress of his nose at her ear. "You didn't set your alarm."

Lily spluttered a response of noises, trying to hide her face as she got up. She knew she was blushing for she was all hot and bothered. Why did he have to do that to her? Why did he have to make her feel this way?

She crossed her arms, frustrated. But also to try to relieve some of the pressure that was building up inside of her. "You're a git, Potter."

"Why? Hoping I would tell you how beautiful you looked? If that's the case-" He began as he too stood up and walked to stand in front of her. "I'd have to tell you that everyday and who's got the time for that. Right, shall we get on with it then before Abasi starts asking questions."

The redhead was lost for words. How could he go from being a pest, to the biggest charmer in the world, and then back to business?

"We need a way to test this room fully. We need to make sure only the students can get in and that it's fully protected against everything." James said, looking at the blank wall ahead of him. "What do you think?"

"Hmm. If you conjure up the room, I will look away. Once your inside, I will then try to get in."

"What's that going to prove? Surely you need to see the room too."

"Your version of the room might be the same as mine but it may not be." She theorised. "If that's the case, we need to test both outcomes."

"But there isn't just us two. There are hundreds of kids at this school who aren't going to think the same as us. Please don't tell me you think we need to test everybody's room ideas?"

"No, that's stupid. But we need to get Abasi and Abbott on the same page as us."

"Our two minds are—"

"Are both Gryffindor. We need Ravenclaw and Hufflepuffs too to make sure all the students are kept safe."

"What if the first outcome is the best one?"

"Why because it's _your_ room?"

He smiled a cocky grin. "Turn around then. No peeking."

So she did. The redhead heard the door appear, Potter opening it and it soon disappearing back into the brick work of the wall. It was quite calming to know it could vanish within a blink of an eye.

 _Think, Evans, think of what Potter would imagine._

A place heavily guarded. Virtually indestructible. One where there could be information on the walls of what was going on in the school, for if Voldemort did show up. The Dark Lord... _Avada_ —

Her mind began to spiral away from what James would do and more onto what she'd want. Protection, obviously, but a room full of nooks and crannies where the biggest of creatures would be able to become invisible. A room full of paraphernalia that could be useful for safety or in combat. Maybe one object could have an escape route in.

 _Oh Merlin_ , she thought restlessly. _This is not working!_

But no matter what she tried to do, her mind could not escape the room she wanted.

"No, no, no." Evans muttered to herself as the Room of Requirements door reappeared. It opened. "Go back in, Potter. I can do this."

"You were right though. We can't just conjure a room and hope everyone else will get in." He said, disappointingly. "What where you thinking about?"

"A place to hide."

"Hide?"

"I tried my best to think of your idea of a room but to me, being hidden is safety."

"Seeing as it's still here, take a look." Potter smiled, keeping the door open for her.

It was a lot simpler than she had thought. Mirrors lined the entirety of the walls and a large fireplace was located down the middle of the room. "I don't get it." Lily whispered.

"Take another look."

In the corner of her eye, something shimmered and fizzed. "Have you put some sort of glimmer or invisibility spell in here?"

"The room did it."

"The room...what?!"

"I've been turning invisible and sneaking around this school for the last seven years, I think the room picked up on it. Watch." The room transformed into areas to sit, or sleep, or conceive strategies. The mirrors flitted between different places of the castle from within House's to teacher's rooms. "If I want you to see anything, I have to permit it."

"As much as this is a great idea, and I'm going to ignore that _this_ —" She pointed to the walls and seeing all people within the castle. "—is an invasion of privacy, where are you going to be?"

"Be?"

"Yeah, if this is your room and you control who comes in, who can see what, where are you going to be? Because I know you, Potter, and you will not be cooped up here."

James looked to the ceiling, trying to think of a reason. "Erm..."

"Exactly. It would have been too easy if this worked out."

"It would have been great if it had."

"I guess your luck is running out." She flirtatiously retorted, leaving the room.

Potter shortly followed, leaving the room to be forgotten and replaced back to what it was. "Where you going?"

"To test my version of the—"

A soft voice interrupted them. "Hello? Hello?" It repeated.

Lily checked her watch, then cursed. "Shit. Mirror. Mirror. Don't look at me stupid, it's bloody Omar calling us."

"For fuck sake." The Head Boy grumbled, reaching into his pockets. He snapped open the mirror. "What do you want, Abasi? You're early."

The Ravenclaw's face swirled in the glass until it focused. "You called a meeting—"

"Yeah, at seven o'clock."

"You were the one who gave out a vague message about a meeting this morning so what's a few minutes here and there?"

"We can't tell you anything before Lupin and Abbot pick up."

"But—"

"Your questions can bloody wait." Potter interrupted and slapped the pocket mirror shut.

"What was that for?" Lily asked, taking the talking device from him.

"The git deserved it."

"Just got sit over there or something. I'll deal with Omar."

"No, we are together in this."

 _Together_. Why did that word have to everything she wanted it to mean?

The redhead called for the three appointed Heads of House. Sure, Remus already knew the plan and, hopefully, had told all the Gryffindor's the plan but they needed it to look real. Omar would know if Gryffindor had had an advantage.

"Is everyone in their House Common Room?" Lily began after saying all their hello's. "Good. The plan is to get to the seventh floor, by the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy, as quick as possible."

"That seems unfair." Patricia stated. "We're at the basement level, the furthest away."

"It's not a race. We are practicing for a time we may need to move students out of their common room to a safe location."

"So it's not really as quick as possible, but who can get their House somewhere the safest." Omar put together.

"If this was serious, if there was an attack on the castle, dawdling is not the answer." Remus commented. "Our priority should be with the underclassman."

Evans nodded. "They are going to be the ones who won't be able to fight back. They are the ones who need protecting the most. While you guys are trying to get to us, James and I will be writing on the coins—"

"Will you be using the map?" Omar asked.

"You better have said that in private?" James snarled, from behind her.

"I'm in the common room."

Potter exasperated loudly.

Lily cut in before he could. "Abasi, what are you doing? That was something Dumbledore entrusted in us and we told you—"

"You've got five minutes to come up with a plan." James piped up, before once again slamming the mirror shut.

"What happened to giving them ten?"

"That guy has got a fucking nerve."

"Calm dow—"

"No, I won't calm down, Lily. You don't understand the trouble I'll be in if that were to get back to a teacher, or a Slytherin. No, no, we'll be in worse trouble if it gets confiscated before the end of the year. I know you may not like it but—"

"We all need it." She sighed. "James, I get why your pissed but they need time."

"They wouldn't have time if this was real." He stated as he produced the tatty piece of enchanted parchment from his back pocket. "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good."

"They won't be ready yet."

"You gave Remus your orders, I gave him mine."

"You went behind my back?"

"Of course not, I just told him to start straight after we all spoke on the mirror. Why? Were you hoping we'd have five minutes to ourselves?"

Lily blushed. "Shut your mouth and let me look at the map."

A little chuckle escaped him and readjusted the map for her to see. A group of Gryffindor's best spell casters were led by Sirius through the castle. At each corner, one person would stay behind to be look out for the following groups until finally Black was the last person at a corner before meeting Lily and James.

"He missed all the secret passageways." She whispered. "Surely we need to use those."

"I told him not to. We can't be the first four students, in the whole of the Hogwarts history, to know about these secrets. Half of them are only wide enough to fit one person. We'd be stuck if someone came the other way." Potter claimed. "And as much as I know we have an advantage on the other two House's, I wanted to make sure we were doing this correctly."

"Because you knew Omar would ask how we did so well?"

"Bloody git."

"Have you tested this route for time?"

"Sirius got to where he needed to be in time, and Remus let the next group leave on time, but it's up to the rest now."

Evans watched closely. Each group was filled with at least six witches and wizards, of various years. They would leave the Common Room at Remus' order - he was instructed to let groups leave when the previous one rounded a corner saftely. It seemed to be working. The look outs were doing their jobs and underclassman were surrounded by more advanced students.

"This is going _too_ well."

"Evans, that's a good thing."

"Where are the Slytherins, Filch or any other teacher?"

"It's fine. We'll cause upset when we write on the coins."

"The way we're going, Gryffindor will be here before the other two House's start."

"I don't know about Ravenclaw, but it looks like Hufflepuff are about to do something."

Lily noticed what James meant. The whole of Hufflepuff House were gathered at their concealed entrance. Patricia was at the front, ready for whatever they had planned. "What do you think they—"

Evans didn't need to finish her sentence. They all swarmed out of their Common Room in mass, like a hurtling stampede. At each staircase or new direction, a group would disperse off. They were trying to find the best possible route the quickest. Lily could see the logic behind it.

As the first group of Gryffindor's rounded the corner, the last House began their journey. Omar led a single-filed line of Ravenclaws, slowly and carefully. Occasionally, they would bump into each other. It was a very different method.

James produced the coin from his pocket. Lily tapped it with her wand to write 'Hide' on it.

Absolute carnage pursued. Hufflepuff's and Gryffindor's fled into the nearest classrooms, pushing each other in the process. Even the group that arrived to them first found a place to hide. Ravenclaw, on the other hand, stayed perfectly still.

"Have they not seen the coins?" James asked, furiously.

"They stopped."

"What the hell are they doing?"

She shrugged and changed the coin to 'Safe'. "We'll find out when they get here."

Potter cursed and folded up the map.

"We need it—"

"We already know what everyone is doing. No one else can see this map. Omar can't know..."

"What? Can't know what?"

"That I can see him on the map when he's trying to be—" James got interrupted by the sight of the first Hufflepuff group and a huge group of Gryffindor's, followed by Sirius. "What happened?"

"Everyone got confused after the coins said it was safe." Black claimed. "I don't know how we got it wrong but we've cocked up somewhere."

"Did Mooney explain the plan to everyone?"

"We knew the plan, Prongs, but this is real to some kids. Just look at them."

Evans looked around at the scared faces of her House. They may have been able to execute the plan perfectly but fear had surfaced, when it became lifelike, and had taken all rationality away. "We've got time to sort it out."

More and more students filled the once empty corridor. The last pupils from both two Houses arrived within seconds of each other. Abbot was straight in with her leading team to know the exact route they had taken. But still their was no Ravenclaw.

"Oh, Evans, I know Abasi is here." James mumbled after she asked about the whereabouts of the House.

"They should be here, they are the ones nearest the corridor, but I can't see him or any of them."

"That's the point." He snarled, grabbing the air around his pocket, and pointed his wand towards her.

"James, what are—"

" _Revelio_."

Omar appeared between them, his hand was grasped in a tight hold by James.

"What do you think your doing?" Lily inquired, slowly reaching for her wand.

"I just wanted to see the map."

"You are never gonna see it now."

"But—"

Evans raised her voice. "Everyone go back to your Rooms, you will get feedback tomorrow."

"But—"

"Piss off, Omar."

James let go of him. "You heard her."

Slowly, they all left. Their friends tried to stay but they still had work to do. They still needed to test out her room, but first, she needed to calm him down. "James, we have to trust Omar."

"I do."

"You do?"

"He's the only honest one here. Sure he went around it the wrong way but he didn't lie, and if tonight is the best he's got for a plan—ha, they'll need all the help they can get!"

"You know Ravenclaw would have had a debate for five minutes without getting anywhere. At least they can all use the Invisibility Charm."

"We've got a lot to sort out too."

"Like I said we've got time. And speaking of time, shall we get on with this so we don't break curfew?"

"A little detention wouldn't hurt us."

"The fact that we just pulled off what we did without anyone catching us is a miracle. I'd rather not get one because we're out past nine."

"I'll close my eyes then." He said, closing his eyes with a smug expression. "Try to contain yourself from kissing me, Evans."

 _Shut up, shut up, shut up._

The Head Girl once again thought of the same room. With every step she made closer to the wall, and could see the door emerge, the place to hide formed bolder than before. Yet when she opened the door, her heart filled with dread. Broken pieces of furniture were piled up high like mountains. Books, nicknacks and old, discontinued Zonko's merchandise flooded the rest of the room in vast amounts.

"Er, James, I think we've got an even _bigger_ problem." She said, eyeing up an enormous stuffed troll.

"What? What is it?"

"I don't think we're the first people to find this room."


End file.
